*Official Game Thread* Regular Season Game 3: ORL @ PHI

[MagicStarwipe]

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Magic Starters:

PG: DJ Augustin
SG: Evan Fournier
SF: Jonathan Isaac
PF: Aaron Gordon
C: Nikola Vucevic

76ers Starters:

PG: Ben Simmons
SG: Markelle Fultz
SF: Robert Covington
PF: Dario Saric
C: Joel Embiid

[NavalAviator94]

For what it’s worth, this is the correct thread. However, everybody loves a train wreck.

[ChosenSavior]

Made this into the official game thread. Simply put, this is gonna be a hard one to get. Definitely have to defend the 3 pt line very well in this game and somehow make Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz into jump shooters instead of drivers.

[SHAQ32]

<3 Vuc

Spoiler:

[NavalAviator94]

<3 Vuc

Spoiler:

Meat gazer

[RookieStar]

soooo.... bamba against embiid? hmmm if we got smoked by kemba... I shudder to think what Ben and Embiid will do to us

[FFBlitzace]

I don't like Fournier's chances of turning things around against Covington, but we'll see.

I think Isaac has a chance to make an impact on the offensive glass. Embiid is Embiid, but otherwise they're not huge. I'd like to see him do that.

Hard to see us winning this game. One potential saving grace is that their most dangerous pick and roll won't involve DJ. I don't think that means they'll struggle against us or anything. It's just something that may result in us not getting completely dismantled all night long.

[DiplomaticMagic]

Last night was all it took for me to get back on # TeamTank

[OrlandO]

Sanity restored.

This is the Orlando Magic forum... not a (insert player name) forum. We should not have to post in separate threads over one player. There isn't a single player on this team that deserves to be blamed for everything every game. Criticism for every player is fair... taking it to excessive levels is fruitless. I don't know if some are in denial or what, but this team still has no star, no go-to scorer, no go-to playmaker and little to no reliable shooters. We don't even have a starting PG. This team is constructed to lose. Any player who takes on a top 2 option role will be put in a tough spot and won't look that great. Sorry, but there is no addition by subtraction with a team like this.

Vuc did as well as he could on a bad team with too much developing youth and no star for years... and like it or not he's been one of our best players. That doesn't have to be something to be proud about... it's just reality. It is what it is. Of course, his time here as a starter is now expiring. He is now a placeholder while his promising future replacement develops his game and body. The front office and coach have made their plan for Bamba clear from the jump. Why not just accept this timeline has been set and stop obsessing over Vuc so much? This team will not be good, but surely there's more to talk about and debate this season than a 3rd/4th option having to do more than he should?

[OrlandO]

Fournier leading the starters with 15 fga, but last among them in fg%. This huge slump has been going on since preseason. It felt like he was trying to shoot himself out of it last game and he did shoot better in the 2nd half, so we'll see what happens this game... I'm sure eventually balance will be restored for him.

DJ I'm more concerned with... his early struggle has me worried he's about to have one of his off years.

I'm sure Bamba and Embiid will be eager to play a bit against each other.

[MagicStarwipe]

How many people blame "everything" on one player? Every player gets criticised in game threads. Obviously certain players due to their tenure and play style are going to be called out more. Players have weaknesses and people are going to point them out. If people go too far its because frustration levels are at an all time high. If people can't vent on this forum, then where can they vent? When it becomes bickering back and forth with people insulting other POSTERS is where it gets tedious.

Yes, I was trying to eliminate some of the bickering, but more-so I was making a statement on the current state of the board. I knew the chances of the mods keeping both threads open were slim to none.

[pepe1991]

[MagicStarwipe]

Now if Vucevic can show as much effort as he did tonight defending the rim from now on, even though he still can't defend pick and roll, then I believe criticism of him will be much lower. The way he was able to defend the rim in the Charlotte game proved that it's all about effort for him. The criticism that he has been lazy here is justified.

[pepe1991]

Now if Vucevic can show as much effort as he did tonight defending the rim from now on, even though he still can't defend pick and roll, then I believe criticism of him will be much lower. The way he was able to defend the rim in the Charlotte game proved that it's all about effort for him. The criticism that he has been lazy here is justified.

IMO despite his medicore pick& roll defense ( along with DJ sucking as well overall ) , main issue wasn't in last game defense but offense that sucked life out of team.
At HT team only allowed 51 points but was down 20. crazy.
In third they stopped defending due clear frustration with inability to score.

[fendilim]

Sanity restored.

This is the Orlando Magic forum... not a (insert player name) forum. We should not have to post in separate threads over one player. There isn't a single player on this team that deserves to be blamed for everything every game. Criticism for every player is fair... taking it to excessive levels is fruitless. I don't know if some are in denial or what, but this team still has no star, no go-to scorer, no go-to playmaker and little to no reliable shooters. We don't even have a starting PG. This team is constructed to lose. Any player who takes on a top 2 option role will be put in a tough spot and won't look that great. Sorry, but there is no addition by subtraction with a team like this.

Vuc did as well as he could on a bad team with too much developing youth and no star for years... and like it or not he's been one of our best players. That doesn't have to be something to be proud about... it's just reality. It is what it is. Of course, his time here as a starter is now expiring. He is now a placeholder while his promising future replacement develops his game and body. The front office and coach have made their plan for Bamba clear from the jump. Why not just accept this timeline has been set and stop obsessing over Vuc so much? This team will not be good, but surely there's more to talk about and debate this season than a 3rd/4th option having to do more than he should?

This.

Until we acquire/something miraculous happen, Vuc will AND still be an integral part of the offense.

[fendilim]

Now if Vucevic can show as much effort as he did tonight defending the rim from now on, even though he still can't defend pick and roll, then I believe criticism of him will be much lower. The way he was able to defend the rim in the Charlotte game proved that it's all about effort for him. The criticism that he has been lazy here is justified.

IMO despite his medicore pick& roll defense ( along with DJ sucking as well overall ) , main issue wasn't in last game defense but offense that sucked life out of team.
At HT team only allowed 51 points but was down 20. crazy.
In third they stopped defending due clear frustration with inability to score.

This too.

Our offense will dictate a lot of the energy we play on defense.

Like I said before, we had the best point differential of the rebuild during the Scott Skiles year because we had numerous guys who could score. We also played the best defense then.

Until we get somebody who can do that, this team’s performance will remain the same.

[drsd]

Orlando PG play should easily doom the team here.

[Mauro Pedrosa]

Alright, I can't hold this rant for much longer. Nikola Vucevic isn't a bad player as an individual, but he's playing in the wrong era to maximize his talent. Nowadays teams play with amazing pace on offense and defense, that's why the post game has basically been eradicated. If you dump the ball to your 5, use him as the #1 option on offense and the other four guys just stand around (the biggest issue we have), the big guy will get his stats but the rest of the team will be miserable. Basically the opposite of a motion offense.

To create better looks from 3 and from everywhere on the court you need to have great ball and player movement. The 14 Spurs and the pre-Durant Warriors are the biggest example of this.

Most great teams have Centers that get out of the way on offense, get putbacks and protect the rim (Vucevic has been underrated in this department) AND are able to switch or follow guards (he's not good at this part). Clint Capela, Damian Jones (who?), Serge Ibaka (great option at Center that Nick Nurse is taking advantage of and we squandered), Al Horford, Myles Turner, Brook Lopez etc.

The Nets aren't a great team yet but Jarrett Allen is pretty much the ideal Center for this era who gives you the bonus of shooting the occasional 3.

Al Horford and Domantas Sabonis are the guys on good teams that most resemble Vucevic physically. The main difference is that Horford is an incredibly unselfish player who sacrifices for the team on offense and defense, and Sabonis is a little lighter on his feet and isn't as big a part of the offense as Vuc is. Maybe Vuc could lose some weight to play a little faster and become a better Center.

The part that really nags me is that we actually have or have had the players to play this way. Ibaka is gone but Bamba and Birch are awesome modern centers. Briscoe is also obviously our best PG. He keeps the ball flowing and is better at defense than Augustin.

Nick Nurse or Mike Budenholzer would do wonders for our team.

Now, I don't think Vuc has to be benched right away, especially because we're trying to maximize his trade value, but we need someone to have the balls to tell Vuc and Fournier that YOU'RE NOT A ****ING STAR AND THE TEAM DOESN'T PLAY FOR YOU. YOU WILL PLAY FOR THE TEAM OR BE BENCHED

--

TL-DR: I would start Briscoe right away and try to eliminate the crippling lack of ball movement.

[RickB-Orlando]

Sanity restored.

Vuc did as well as he could on a bad team with too much developing youth and no star for years... and like it or not he's been one of our best players. That doesn't have to be something to be proud about... it's just reality. It is what it is. Of course, his time here as a starter is now expiring. He is now a placeholder while his promising future replacement develops his game and body. The front office and coach have made their plan for Bamba clear from the jump. Why not just accept this timeline has been set and stop obsessing over Vuc so much? This team will not be good, but surely there's more to talk about and debate this season than a 3rd/4th option having to do more than he should?

Just to add, the guy has really been a class act, with the possible exception of refusing demotion to the bench in favor of Biyombo (and I say possible because...well..Biyombo.) He's always represented the team and city well, and his work with kids, which doesn't get much play, has been commendable. His biggest flaw has been that he simply isn't Dwight Howard, and I have always felt that too many fans felt he had to be to make up for Dwight's exit.

[Knightro]

Not expecting the Magic to win this one, but Philadelphia has been a little loosely goosey on the defensive end this year through two games.

Obviously they have great talent and should win, but hopefully this is a game where guys like Fournier can work their way out of slumps.