Regular Season Game 61: Portland Trail Blazers (26-35) at Orlando Magic (27-33) - 7pm ET

[MagicStarwipe]

Blame starts at the top.

[Blue_and_Whte]

Crickets from the Buddyball fanboys as usual. They must of lost the keys to the short bus again.

Why are y’all showing animosity towards some shadowy group that doesn’t exist?

[KillMonger]

Clifford says he benched Fultz for MCW because he was our best chance to win

The 0-6 MCW (until last second garbage times hot) that was -16 and had 0 assists was our best chance to win?

Might be the dumbest **** I've ever heard if true.

Can't make this up, how does that make any kind of sense. Been saying it all day long that Clifford isn't right for the team. People want to see him with another roster but do you really? I think he's too stubborn and old school in certain ways to change too much.

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[MagicMatic]

Steve Clifford sucks. Honestly getting tired of defending this guy.

I had to double take when I saw who posted this. Very telling.

I’m not a fan of the dynamic between our FO’s choices and Steve Clifford’s priorities. Way too conservative, one dimensional, and makes terrible in game decisions.

[ORL_on_FIRE]

Sometimes I just don’t get it... Fultz looked like he was getting it going, gets a steal and makes a great play on the break.

Then gets pulled from the game and we don’t see him for the longest time. Why must we always make things harder than they should be.

[Bensational]

We've allowed 110+ points for like 10 games now and counting.

It feels like a shift in coaching, to me. I think Cliff has given up on being such a stickler for defense so they can have more energy for offense. Or it's part of the trade-off of Cliff shortening his rotation to more of a playoff number and boosting everyone's minutes, and that has cut out the presence of guys like Birch and Iwundu who have consistently been part of our better defensive lineups.

Maybe he's given up on that end with Isaac not here to erase mistakes.

Just heard his postgame presser and it's definitely not a coaching choice, lol. Players just not wanting to play defense, and thinking they can outscore the other team. It was just more glaring tonight without AG on the court to boost that end, let alone Isaac.

[pepe1991]

I like the homer posters who say CJ and Beal and Hield wouldn’t help this team over Fournier. Ya might want to watch more basketball.

And when people bring Gordon and Bamba in trades for them you guys act outraged like it's giving too much

[drsd]

Also, we are going to lose this game. We don't have the firepower to trade baskets with Portland all night. Or the defense. Do we have any defense tonight??

You called it.


..

[GelbeWand09]

It feels like a shift in coaching, to me. I think Cliff has given up on being such a stickler for defense so they can have more energy for offense. Or it's part of the trade-off of Cliff shortening his rotation to more of a playoff number and boosting everyone's minutes, and that has cut out the presence of guys like Birch and Iwundu who have consistently been part of our better defensive lineups.

Maybe he's given up on that end with Isaac not here to erase mistakes.

Just heard his postgame presser and it's definitely not a coaching choice, lol. Players just not wanting to play defense, and thinking they can outscore the other team. It was just more glaring tonight without AG on the court to boost that end, let alone Isaac.

I think its a pretty natural thing. After Isaac went down they knew we lost our ''defense'', so everybody stepped up & played with more energy for the next games, but this works only for some time.
Like Indiana went on a run after Dipos injury last year, but they coudnt keep that extra energy for the rest off the aseason and went into a free fall.
I mean without Isaac & Aminu, we have 1 great defender on the least important defensive position in MCW & 1 above average defender in AG.
+ Even the players know they cant play so bad to miss the playoffs in the east this year, thats costing some percent effort too i'm sure. There is no urgency like last years season end.

[pepe1991]

Hezonja revange game

Come on, we had no shot at winning this. Look at rotation guys:
Ennis- 76ers leftover.
Clark- G league player
DJ - still returning from injury
MCW- definition of deep bench guy


Man Little went from top 5 projection just about a year ago to 25th pick, deep bench guy.

[Ducklett]

I didn't watch the game because I was on the phone. The only thing that stood out to me was that somehow Bamba was +4 in a game we lost by 23 points. What in the world? o.O

[zaymon]

So we lack our three best defenders in Isaac, Gordon and Aminu and we wonder why we struggled defensively ? Also i dont know why Fultz has so much credit, he is not such a big factor on offense yet and defensively he is a minus. I didnt saw the game yet but propably Cliff had enough of Fultz poor defense.

[Roy The Natural]

Hezonja revange game

Come on, we had no shot at winning this. Look at rotation guys:
Ennis- 76ers leftover.
Clark- G league player
DJ - still returning from injury
MCW- definition of deep bench guy


Man Little went from top 5 projection just about a year ago to 25th pick, deep bench guy.

He's super raw. He shows flashes though. Needs to get the skill level up, but the athleticism, work ethic, and build is there. His shot has improved tremendously since early season. His mechanics look a lot better. Still see a bright 3&D future for him where he has the upside to turn into a Covington type player.

[paperboymafia]

watched the first half then went to bed. Knew it would it end in a loss. Some of the bricks were hideous.

[basketballRob]

I didn't watch the game because I was on the phone. The only thing that stood out to me was that somehow Bamba was +4 in a game we lost by 23 points. What in the world? o.O

I really think if it was up to Clifford he would never play Bamba. It's like he can't wait to get him out every time he puts him in.

Remember these are the same guys that refused to play Redick for 5 years and probably cost him 10's of millions of dollars.

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[Tarheel]

A G League team would have destroyed us in that fourth quarter.

Some of the worst defense I've seen this team play.

[407Junkie]

We've allowed 110+ points for like 10 games now and counting.

Absolutely no defense being played anymore. Just gone. No reason for that either. Just not giving effort on that side anymore.

Just say it. Vucevic is ass on defense and has been all year. Drops 30 and still was a -25 on the night. The most worthless 40 point game in NBA history. The dumb coach continues to give this bum 32 minutes a night when he deserves half of that. Your boy is a liability and detriment to the team, and I know it pains you to admit it.

[407Junkie]

So we lack our three best defenders in Isaac, Gordon and Aminu and we wonder why we struggled defensively ? Also i dont know why Fultz has so much credit, he is not such a big factor on offense yet and defensively he is a minus. I didnt saw the game yet but propably Cliff had enough of Fultz poor defense.

Your reasoning for caping for this incompetent coach would hold about defense if he would’ve pulled Vucevic for never playing defense. The most easiest point in the league is in the paint against him when he’s in the game. He’s trash. But yet the trash coach religiously plays him most the game. Don’t try to put this on Fultz who was a 0 on the +/- last night. Augustine who’s garbage himself was -20 and getting killed, but yet played the whole fourth. FOH with your weak far from the truth reasoning on Fultz.

[407Junkie]

[instagram][/instagram]

I like the homer posters who say CJ and Beal and Hield wouldn’t help this team over Fournier. Ya might want to watch more basketball.

And when people bring Gordon and Bamba in trades for them you guys act outraged like it's giving too much

Because the team would still suck with Vucevic and Clifford on the team so why trade two of your best players for them? Get rid of those two bums and their other foreign friend and then talk about some good things happening. Until those three are gone this team will forever be trash. I believe Vucevic could play with prime Jordan and still lose.

[pepe1991]

[instagram][/instagram]

I like the homer posters who say CJ and Beal and Hield wouldn’t help this team over Fournier. Ya might want to watch more basketball.

And when people bring Gordon and Bamba in trades for them you guys act outraged like it's giving too much

Because the team would still suck with Vucevic and Clifford on the team so why trade two of your best players for them? Get rid of those two bums and their other foreign friend and then talk about some good things happening. Until those three are gone this team will forever be trash. I believe Vucevic could play with prime Jordan and still lose.

Bamba and Gordon are your best players ?
you cracking me up man
Foreign is probably main problem isn't it ? Not murican enough ?