2023-2024 Regular Season Game 38: Orlando Magic (21-16) at Miami Heat (21-16) - 8pm

[ogmagicfan]

Does anyone else feel like Mosley coaching staff is underwhelming?

It is, and I believe he lost a key assistant from last season.

Luckily Orlando is going to be an alot more attractive destination for assistant coaches this offseason with our play, youth, & potential. We need to get some top notch assistants badly

I would be very surprised if the front office or Mosley feels like changes are needed on the staff.

We can certainly debate if this is a good thing or not, but I genuinely believe everyone in the organization from ownership down to coaches are as pleased as can be with this season regardless of how rough this January stretch may get.

I'd be willing to bet that if you asked Weltman or anyone in the DeVos family, they'd tell you with giddiness how "ahead of schedule" they are.

I'll say this, it would be more fair to assess our coaching from head to assistants with better player personnel

we can only hope changes are made before the trade deadline & this offseason to bring that personnel in, along with improvements by our players

[eyriq]

I'm going to have to tell myself that Paolo's been sick

[MasterGMer]

When is Franz going to come back? During this road trip? What is the update on him? Thx

[ogmagicfan]

Does anyone else feel like Mosley coaching staff is underwhelming?

Absolutely. He needs a better staff around him. He’s not a great x’s and o’s guy but I think his personality is a great fit with this group.

posters say this, but Coach Mosely has one of the highest success rates in baskets/scoring out of timeouts in the league, so he's no slouch

along with a top defense as well

lack of shooting & injuries is our handicap, along with just being a young team thats still learning

[Knightro]

Miami has an elite coaching staff, system, defense, and culture and they just know how to grind out every last ounce of potential production. They’ve been doing for years, this is not surprising…

Over the last two seasons coming into tonight, Miami was 0-7 in games that both Butler and Herro did not play.

This is the first game they've won in 3 years without both of those guys.

[The-Stallion70]

Can we stop playing Houstan big minutes like he is a great player who's been waiting to get a chance?

I'm still not convinced that he's better than Jett who's just been cast to wayside.

[BlueBalls]

I'd be willing to bet that if you asked Weltman or anyone in the DeVos family, they'd tell you with giddiness how "ahead of schedule" they are.

And they'd be right!

(When our team isn't decimated by injuries).

They've got to keep their end of the bargain up by providing the coaches available players or a glimpse into team-building philosophy beyond this year.

That’s the most maddening part. Their moves are often contradictory. Team is terrible from distance, so with 2 lotto picks they add to an already crowded backcourt a PG with lots of athleticism and talent but horribly limited offensively and may always be so. Second lotto pick is a college FR who was drafted for his shooting ability but the org seems to have planned to keep him in Osceola all year.

Then Fultz gets an extension, backcourt remains packed but they did nothing to improve their glaring deficiencies.

Are they still rebuilding? Or is this all systems go, and they plan to be active at the deadline? Or holding fast in this (hopefully) final season of the rebuild? I truly don’t know, because their actions this past off-season make no sense if they felt they were ready to compete in 2023/24.

Either way, long term, we have chaff on this roster we need to churn.

[Optimus_Steel]

Miami has an elite coaching staff, system, defense, and culture and they just know how to grind out every last ounce of potential production. They’ve been doing for years, this is not surprising…

Over the last two seasons coming into tonight, Miami was 0-7 in games that both Butler and Herro did not play.

This is the first game they've won in 3 years without both of those guys.

And? Both team missing tons of players and last time I checked Bam is an all star. Most of the guys that played tonight other than Jacquez played in the finals last year.

[Knightro]

And? Both team missing tons of players and last time I checked Bam is an all star. Most of the guys that played tonight other than Jacquez played in the finals last year.

I mean come on man. At least be accurate.

The No. 2, 3, 4 and 6 players in MPG for the Heat in the Finals last year didn't play for them tonight. Plus Herro on top of that who is arguably their best player this season too.

[Knightro]

That’s the most maddening part. Their moves are often contradictory. Team is terrible from distance, so with 2 lotto picks they add to an already crowded backcourt a PG with lots of athleticism and talent but horribly limited offensively and may always be so. Second lotto pick is a college FR who was drafted for his shooting ability but the org seems to have planned to keep him in Osceola all year.

Then Fultz gets an extension, backcourt remains packed but they did nothing to improve their glaring deficiencies.

Are they still rebuilding? Or is this all systems go, and they plan to be active at the deadline? Or holding fast in this (hopefully) final season of the rebuild? I truly don’t know, because their actions this past off-season make no sense if they felt they were ready to compete in 2023/24.

Either way, long term, we have chaff on this roster we need to churn.

Several people have criticized the Magic's decision to concurrently take two paths.

If they wanted to actually try and win, then they should have already made a trade to improve the overall talent level of the roster and let the remaining young talent ultimately determine the overall ceiling of the roster.

If they wanted to develop their youth, that's fine too, but then older guys like Gary Harris and Joe Ingles (even if they're playing well in Ingles case) and ill-fitting guys like Fultz shouldn't be here blocking Black, Jett and Houstan and banishing them to the third team.

Just because they've had some injuries that ended up forcing Black and now Houstan into the lineup doesn't mean their decision to straddle the fence of winning and developing wasn't still a poor one.

[The-Stallion70]

Miami has an elite coaching staff, system, defense, and culture and they just know how to grind out every last ounce of potential production. They’ve been doing for years, this is not surprising…

Over the last two seasons coming into tonight, Miami was 0-7 in games that both Butler and Herro did not play.

This is the first game they've won in 3 years without both of those guys.

And? Both team missing tons of players and last time I checked Bam is an all star. Most of the guys that played tonight other than Jacquez played in the finals last year.

The maddening part is that Jaquez was giving us the business all night and he was the 18th pick whereas our 6th pick barely did anything and our 11th pick is in the G League

[DiplomaticMagic]

Cole has been so bad last few weeks. And Fultz is playing with good energy but he is a complete 0 on offense as is AB. We really need a good guard.

People might remember Paolo's last shot and the free throws but he is seriously incredible. Sometimes he really looks like LeBron out there.

[DiplomaticMagic]

If Isaac is sick, why is he even in Miami??? To get Suggs sick???

[DiplomaticMagic]

Gotta say the people who work the Heat's game do a great job of keeping fans engaged and getting them to chant. The kia center is badly lacking that, and we let other team fans come in and take over the noise. Its way louder in Miami than Orlando.

[SOUL]

It's really just injuries. No continuity with any lineups at all.

[SOUL]

The maddening part is that Jaquez was giving us the business all night and he was the 18th pick whereas our 6th pick barely did anything and our 11th pick is in the G League

Meh. I was told this offseason we "shouldn't be drafting for backups" and that this was our last chance to get high upside prospect. Felt like a lot of the fanbase didn't want seniors/guys that didn't immediately look like they'd start here, which is ironic lol

[ibraheim718]

He won't miss the next one.

[eyriq]

The maddening part is that Jaquez was giving us the business all night and he was the 18th pick whereas our 6th pick barely did anything and our 11th pick is in the G League

Meh. I was told this offseason we "shouldn't be drafting for backups" and that this was our last chance to get high upside prospect. Felt like a lot of the fanbase didn't want seniors/guys that didn't immediately look like they'd start here, which is ironic lol

Read on Twitter

?t=J1H6dSa1Tz-68Wwt1xkR1Q&s=19

[DiplomaticMagic]

This OKC game tomorrow feels like the Minnesota game last week. I dont know if I want to watch it lol

[VFX]

The maddening part is that Jaquez was giving us the business all night and he was the 18th pick whereas our 6th pick barely did anything and our 11th pick is in the G League

Meh. I was told this offseason we "shouldn't be drafting for backups" and that this was our last chance to get high upside prospect. Felt like a lot of the fanbase didn't want seniors/guys that didn't immediately look like they'd start here, which is ironic lol

It depends on what their objective is.

Are they shooting for the playoffs? Does Paolo feel like getting there is the most important thing right now?

Are they developing Black into a starting point guard in one season? Is Jett Howard going to see the floor?

Right now the answer is both and there isn’t a starting point guard on the roster whatsoever. The entire starting lineup of consequential guys are all on rookie deals. You aren’t moving Suggs, Franz, or Paolo to the bench and Ingles wasn’t acquired to be a starter with that in mind. Nobody had an issue with veteran leadership on the roster if it makes sense.

Fultz, Gary, and Isaac are not the “veteran leadership” with winning experience that can help win games in the meantime. They aren’t even available.