Regular Season Game 63: Orlando Magic (27-35) at Minnesota Timberwolves (19-42) - 8:00pm ET

[thelead]

i see jumping onto conclusions after beating team that lost 21 of of last 25 games is in full effect.

Wasn't Gordon breaking out, becomming allstar, after he dominated Hawks G league squad?

Better without Evan, he hates his teammates and wants to make them look worst

What a loud of crap, holy Jesus.


Good win, move on. Let's see can they hang with Houston.

Evan's qoute about win against Nets where Gordon scored 41 ( in game Hair did not play)



Magic were indeed horrific isolation team that year.
Magic that game trailed by 7 points entering 4th quater.
Magic just 4 days prior to that game lost to Nets because of 4th quater collaps in game Vučević scored 41 points.

Contest matters, not to hating trolls tho.

Well, he did also go off in the only other game Evan missed as well. Oh, and it was against the Lakers.

Nevermind Lakers not missing that Davis guy or Wolves this Towns guy. Nobody important, as long as it fits narrative.

KAT is overrated. And the Lakers without Davis are a playoff team in the west as long as LeBron is focused, which he was that night.

[407Junkie]

Fournier gotta go. Team is better without him.

[swarlesbarkley]

Like many here, I actually like Evan as a player - I prefer him over Vuc to be honest - but with our small sample size, he seems to be doing more harm than good to our young guys. I think it's something a lot of us speculated but just had no examples. Well, we have 2 clear examples now.

Move Evan to the bench.
Ross to the SL.

It would break up buddy ball / keep the ball moving and still give us an offensive threat off the bench.

Or tell Evan to play like Ross or he's getting benched. Catch and shoot, man. Just catch and shoot. Or pass.

[darthmerrick]

So many injuries this year and you got Coach cliff with dehydration and Fultz again with cramps. I know it's on a person to go get themselves some gatorade or a bananna for some extra potassium, but shouldn't the job our trainers be to make sure these guys are staying hydrated. May need to clean house and get some new folks in...somebody is a sleep on the job this year.

[MagicMatic]

People are terrified with where this team would be without specific players, but they haven’t known differently post Dwight.

[thelead]

People are terrified with where this team would be without specific players, but they haven’t known differently post Dwight.

Yup. I said it yesterday. Players come and go. We’ll be fine without all of them (although there are 5 I would keep for sure but one day they’ll be gone too).

[zaymon]

Reading this thread i came to conclusion, who needs shooters ? We will just pass the ball and at the end Vucevic will save us. If he scores efficient 30 every game we will let him stay and celebrate once every month when AG has a good game, when we start to lose we can always blame Vucevic he cant score 40 on above leauge efficiency. Fournier taking shots is silly, why shot over 40 % from three when you can shoot 30 % but by a player you like ? Lets make a roster without those selfish efficient scorers, they are the worst. Fultz doesnt need spacing, he just needs bad teams to play against and there are many. I am glad we had those huge two games without Fournier, they opened my eyes. Now i even forgot all the games he won for us.

[Bensational]

Looks like some people are unhappy that the Magic are proving they can continue at the same level without Fournier, same as Vuc earlier in the season.

Who cares about the franchise winning games when it's not one of your fav player doing it, I suppose?

[swarlesbarkley]

I think Evan and Vuc's agents are members of this forum.

[swarlesbarkley]

Reading this thread i came to conclusion, who needs shooters ? We will just pass the ball and at the end Vucevic will save us. If he scores efficient 30 every game we will let him stay and celebrate once every month when AG has a good game, when we start to lose we can always blame Vucevic he cant score 40 on above leauge efficiency. Fournier taking shots is silly, why shot over 40 % from three when you can shoot 30 % but by a player you like ? Lets make a roster without those selfish efficient scorers, they are the worst. Fultz doesnt need spacing, he just needs bad teams to play against and there are many. I am glad we had those huge two games without Fournier, they opened my eyes. Now i even forgot all the games he won for us.

Lol the Lakers have the best record in the West.

[zaymon]

I am very happy that we won against bottom dweller despite missing Fournier. For me its disrespectful and kind of disgusting how people here treat Vucevic and Fournier. One day we want a modern offense with spacing and the other day we want all of our shooters gone. Agents mentions to discredit someones opinion is silly. I hope next time we go 25% from three everyone wanting to trade our shooters will be as loud as today.

[zaymon]

Reading this thread i came to conclusion, who needs shooters ? We will just pass the ball and at the end Vucevic will save us. If he scores efficient 30 every game we will let him stay and celebrate once every month when AG has a good game, when we start to lose we can always blame Vucevic he cant score 40 on above leauge efficiency. Fournier taking shots is silly, why shot over 40 % from three when you can shoot 30 % but by a player you like ? Lets make a roster without those selfish efficient scorers, they are the worst. Fultz doesnt need spacing, he just needs bad teams to play against and there are many. I am glad we had those huge two games without Fournier, they opened my eyes. Now i even forgot all the games he won for us.

Lol the Lakers have the best record in the West.

Fultz best games are against: Nets, Wolves, Warriors, Pistons, Lakers (without AD), Wizards, Wizards, Pistons, Wizards, Kings, Knicks, Cleveland and Suns. I agree lol.

[swarlesbarkley]

Reading this thread i came to conclusion, who needs shooters ? We will just pass the ball and at the end Vucevic will save us. If he scores efficient 30 every game we will let him stay and celebrate once every month when AG has a good game, when we start to lose we can always blame Vucevic he cant score 40 on above leauge efficiency. Fournier taking shots is silly, why shot over 40 % from three when you can shoot 30 % but by a player you like ? Lets make a roster without those selfish efficient scorers, they are the worst. Fultz doesnt need spacing, he just needs bad teams to play against and there are many. I am glad we had those huge two games without Fournier, they opened my eyes. Now i even forgot all the games he won for us.

Lol the Lakers have the best record in the West.

Fultz best games are against: Nets, Wolves, Warriors, Pistons, Lakers (without AD), Wizards, Wizards, Pistons, Wizards, Kings, Knicks, Cleveland and Suns. I agree lol.

It could just be a coincidence but 2 of his best games came with Fournier out injured. And those 2 games were @ LAL and @ MIN. I agree that Minnesota is a bad team. But it was still on the road which is something (is it anything). But let's not discredit the @ LAL win. Right after that win a certain poster here claimed that LeBron was trying to make the organization trade Kuzma and there was an entire other ridiculous storyline going on just because they didn't want to give any credit to Fultz. Now, this is 2 for 2 with Fultz looking good to great without Evan in the line-up.

I don't want Evan gone necessarily. I want to see what the TEAM looks like as a whole with him and TRoss trading SL/bench.

Edited to add: Evan's best games have come against the Spurs, Cavs, Hornets, Warriors, and Wizards. Not much better.

[drsd]

I think Evan and Vuc's agents are members of this forum.

In all seriousness, it would make sense for all agents of 5M+ a year players to have an internet-person scrolling and trolling on behalf of such player. What could that cost: 30K a year tops?

It makes a great deal of sense. Now for the Max guys: there needs to be a constant media team working to propagandise on behalf of said player. Anything else would be odd.

..

[basketballRob]

Fultz seems like he's out of prison when he plays without Fournier. This is why franchises eventually move older players and give the reigns to young ones.

I remember Grant Hill offering to take a smaller role to stay with the Magic but Otis wanting it to be clear that Jameer and Dwight were the captains.

Sent from my SM-G950U using RealGM mobile app

[GelbeWand09]

I would say its not about Evans shooting. We all know he got the perfect modern offensive skills. His playing style & mentality is the problem. If he would be the SHOOTER & the guy who attacks closeouts, he would be the perfect roleplayer & longtime piece.
The problem is, he thinks its his & Vuc's team. He will never take a step back & play the style that suits him best here, without Orlando adding a star. Its like Gordon tryin to be a star, despite his role player skillset. Thats the problem with bad teams without real talent. Somebody has to take the shots & his mindset changes + he wants a big contract as a consequence.
I'm pretty sure his current playing style doesnt help us in combination with his defense at all. As long as he thinks he is mini James Harden, he is not a difference maker, even on that roster. Because it highlights all his weaknesses. Give me a 3 & D player who knows his role over a resigned (20 Mio+) Evan any day.
He is the typical 17-20 ppg player that doesnt move the needle on bad to mediocre teams. I want Vuc go to, but only because he is a offensive Center, in the wrong era. He at least showed he can play on top 20-25 impact player level last year & his stats translate to wins. Evan i think is the opposite. There is a reason, his advanced impact stats are not really kind, despite his eFG% & a career off. year.
Give me a brainwashed ~16 Mio Fournier, who plays up to his strentgh as a roleplaying shooter yay. Top 2 usage guy Fournier on 20+Mio please no.

But i'm a realist. I never had any doubt they gonna resign Vuc & i have no doubt at all that they gonna resign Evan. So i wont focus on those 2's weaknesses anymore, because its wasted energy. My focus is on WeHam now. If they are able to build at least a modern NBA supporting cast around them & Isaac. Because with all there faults, with the right players around them, we still can be on Pacers or Heat Level over there contracts.

[zaymon]

I would say its not about Evans shooting. We all know he got the perfect modern offensive skills. His playing style & mentality is the problem. If he would be the SHOOTER & the guy who attacks closeouts, he would be the perfect roleplayer & longtime piece.
The problem is, he thinks its his & Vuc's team. He will never take a step back & play the style that suits him best here, without Orlando adding a star. Its like Gordon tryin to be a star, despite his role player skillset. Thats the problem with bad teams without real talent. Somebody has to take the shots & his mindset changes + he wants a big contract as a consequence.
I'm pretty sure his current playing style doesnt help us in combination with his defense at all. As long as he thinks he is mini James Harden, he is not a difference maker, even on that roster. Because it highlights all his weaknesses. Give me a 3 & D player who knows his role over a resigned (20 Mio+) Evan any day.
He is the typical 17-20 ppg player that doesnt move the needle on bad to mediocre teams. I want Vuc go to, but only because he is a offensive Center, in the wrong era. He at least showed he can play on top 20-25 impact player level last year & his stats translate to wins. Evan i think is the opposite. There is a reason, his advanced impact stats are not really kind, despite his eFG% & a career off. year.
Give me a brainwashed ~16 Mio Fournier, who plays up to his strentgh as a roleplaying shooter yay. Top 2 usage guy Fournier on 20+Mio please no.

But i'm a realist. I never had any doubt they gonna resign Vuc & i have no doubt at all that they gonna resign Evan. So i wont focus on those 2's weaknesses anymore, because its wasted energy. My focus is on WeHam now. If they are able to build at least a modern NBA supporting cast around them & Isaac. Because with all there faults, with the right players around them, we still can be on Pacers or Heat Level over there contracts.

I think Fultz is more in his own head than Fournier. He finished nice around the rim yesterday, shots he often missed before. He scored many times in transition, looks that are available to him with or without Evan.
I dont blame Evan for taking his shots, some are not good looks, but he is this teams best perimeter scorer by far. In games opponents pack the paint, Ross and Fournier (also Dj last year) are our only efficient options. When we look at this from basketball iq perspective, Evan pass out of his average shot is a bad decision becouse even his average shot is better than most shots for other guys. Fournier is averaging 18.8 ppg on 60% ts. Given our offensive struggles i dont know what is the logic behind him being selfish ? Gordon clanking midrange shot after midrange shot is selfish becouse we know he cant hit those shots consistently, while even average shot of Fournier is a good shot from statistical perspective this year. Also check his game logs, there are many games where he let other players create.

I think we need a shooter with secondary playmaking capabilities next to Fultz, Fournier is just that. Look at gsw, they dont play pure shooters, they play guys who can shoot, pass and dribble.

[j-ragg]

lol

[Bergmaniac]

So many hot takes after beating a terrible team which was completely uninterested in playing defence in that game, LOL.

[swarlesbarkley]

Shooting is very important in today's NBA. But when a team doesn't have much of that, quick ball movement is more important.