Regular Season Game 76: Orlando Magic (37-38) at Detroit Pistons (37-37)

[OrlandO]

Vuc's shoulder was busted... better get it right or it's going to be hard to win the next one

Read on Twitter

[drsd]

They did not lose to a better team.

Detroit has a better record and thusly, the Pistons is better than the Magic. That cannot be debated.

But my point was playing on the road in the NBA is hard, always.

..

[OrlandO]

They did not lose to a better team.

Detroit has a better record and thusly, the Pistons is better than the Magic. That cannot be debated.

But my point was playing on the road in the NBA is hard, always.

..

Also credit to the Pistons for winning so many in a row at home. Advantage or not, you've got to play well to keep up a streak like that when you're a just .500 team.

[drsd]

Also credit to the Pistons for winning so many in a row at home. Advantage or not, you've got to play well to keep up a streak like that when you're a just .500 team.

Good point, as the Pistons currently is 24-13 at home.


..

[NotACat]

Right. Or we just could've traded Vuc since he's really the only player holding us back from being a run-and-gun team. That's where I get conflicted on Vuc. He's keeping us in the mix because he is somewhat reliable on offense, but he's also keeping us from playing to our young core's strength.

Playing fast doesn't mean anything in terms of quality. 4 out of top 5 fastest pace teams are not playoff teams.
Just like that one year Nets were shooting most 3s in nba and were still top 3 worst team.
It's not about style but about substance for that style.

Absolutely agree. But how many of our guys excel in the half court set? Vuc and maybe Evan? I think we've got more substance for a faster paced team than we do a slower team. When we get Bamba back, we could actually be a fast team that also plays solid defense with Gordon, JI, and Bamba.

But you are right, the coach determines the pace and right now going through Vuc is working (well, working to be almost a .500 team). Edited to add - this comment isn't meant to sound snarky but just that we've been so bad for so long that our bar for success is quite low now.

This roster isn't even 100% yet. Who knows how much better we'd be with a healthier Fultz who excels in a PnR offense.

[NotACat]

All of the postgame interviews after this Detroit game where about ultra-focus on the Pacers road contest.

Laser focus on a needed win, I expect the Magic to play much better than in this one.

That said: the Magic lost on the road to a better team, can anyone really be surprised by that?


..

I don't think we need to overrate Detroit to justify losing. They are barely clinging to making the playoffs in the East, they are not very good. Most of their team performed way over there abilities last night, it happens and our team does the same to other teams once in a while.

Yep, there bums just managed to hit shots and Drummond was Drummond.

I posted this in the JI thread, but we didn't punish Detroit's defensive scheme at all. They had Reggie Jackson on JI to start the game and we not once decided to try that matchup in the post. I don't know what JI's skill level is down there, but I feel like we had to go to that matchup and challenge Detroit to double.