2022-2023 Regular Season Game 3: Boston Celtics (2-0) at Orlando Magic (0-2) - 7pm

[NavalAviator94]

Its the most enjoyable 0-3 start i could imagine. Losses sting a lot, but you can see the potential, and willingness to get better.
I am not the biggest fan, but we really need Fultz to break first lane of defense. If we want to go through Wagner and Banchero they need to have some pull up move. I see good signs. Banchero kept shooting despite being 0-4 and finished 2-6. He must keep shooting when opponents go under the screen if he wants to be a star. He is not as quick as Giannis or as good of a passer as Lebron, he needs to keep shooting and get players of balance with his footwork, thats his strengths.
Wagner is just deadly with his Dirk fadeaways. Thats pure money, Aaron Gordon would give everything to have such a move in his arsenal. Its good to see Franz is working on his midrange. With his size those are almost open shots.
I wanted more Kevon Harris and I got it . He is true successor of MCW, but bigger and his shot is not broken. I want to see more of him.
Mosley did better this game but his rotations are still wild. He is adamant about playing Wagner and Banchero together. Most of us would want to stagger their minutes a little more, but they will also close for us for the next decade so we can build chemistry faster i can dig it. I am a little worried about their rhytm, they play in many stints. Wagner left after 6 minutes, than had 3 minutes (gametime) of rest. Same in second quarter so he had 4 stints, where some player have two. He did the same in 3rd and 4th quarter. They had almost 3 minutes rest between 8 and 5 minutes in the fourth. I doubt its good for their rhytm.
I like that he left WCJ longer. Bamba/Bol combo was a disaster, Mosley needs to chose one or the other. Now we can play through Wagner/Banchero at the start and more through WCJ when they seat. I think Moritz Wagner could be good fit with Bol or Bamba and then we could adjust WCJ minutes.
Looking at our rim protection i am not sure if Wagner/Isaac/Banchero will not be our future closing frontcourt if JI is healthy.

Does anyone honestly think Bol is a Center at 220? I think the issue is Bamba isn’t very good and he plays in the second unit with Bol.


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[tiderulz]

he has filled the box score. but 2 games he shot under 34% from the field and is 16% from 3. so he is playing confident, but he has to improve his shooting % or shot selection

Completely agree with this post he is playing with confidence, but my only complaint is that he has been a little inefficient. With that being said he is rookie so that aspect of his game should get better.

Gotta take the FT attempts and % into consideration as well. They're fouling him instead of giving up easy buckets in the paint.

yeah, but if i remember right, if he misses a shot being fouled, they dont count that as a missed attempt? could be wrong though.

[Bergmaniac]

yeah, but if i remember right, if he misses a shot being fouled, they dont count that as a missed attempt? could be wrong though.

It doesn't count.

His efficiency so far has not been great (52.7 TS%), but given it's his first three NBA games, his high volume and that he's been shooting really badly from midrange and 3, it will most likely improve quite a bit. He's clearly a much better midrange shooter than what he's shown so far.

Anyway, fun game to watch. High pace, not much defence by either side (Boston's defensive effort was unusually poor for most of it). Ross looks a lot more engaged this season, hopefully he keeps this up and we get something for him when we trade him. Our perimeter defense was quite bad without Suggs, which is not surprising. Less 3 point shots by WCJ was good to see. Paolo settled too much for jumpers early on, but improved a lot after this.

[pepe1991]

Completely agree with this post he is playing with confidence, but my only complaint is that he has been a little inefficient. With that being said he is rookie so that aspect of his game should get better.

Gotta take the FT attempts and % into consideration as well. They're fouling him instead of giving up easy buckets in the paint.

yeah, but if i remember right, if he misses a shot being fouled, they dont count that as a missed attempt? could be wrong though.

Shot attemp does not count, if it was shot under foul. It only counts if it goes in. Than you get and-one.

[Knightro]

Does anyone honestly think Bol is a Center at 220? I think the issue is Bamba isn’t very good and he plays in the second unit with Bol.

Bol isn't a traditional center, but honestly once you start getting into backup center roles at only 15-18 MPG, it doesn't really matter what size someone is anyway because it's not like you're going up against Jokic or Embiid that entire time.

I think they can get creative with Bol or Isaac or even Banchero as a backup center since it's such a small amount of minutes anyway.

[yoyojw17]

Ehh..

Pool from month ago had 56 votes.
40 people voted Magic winning over 30 games

So let's NOT now move goalpost how this is execlly what majority expected.

You can only be angry if you actually belived this team will be 40-48 wins team. And some people did. I have no clue based on what. Odds by Vegas were pretty objective. 27,5 wins. Overachiving for 33 wins would be still all in relm of reality,

That "we stay close in games" thing isn't really a thing. OKc and Spurs are worst teams , talent vise, in nba this year. Spurs just beat 76ers and OKC lost by 5 points to Denver , mainly due 4th quater issues.
Detroit since beating Magic lost two in a row. To Indiana and NYK and that gives good perspective where Magic are at.


Blaming on coach makes sense, if you ever expected anything more from Mosley than being puppet for front office that will just execute their orders. But why would you expect more? Quick google search from Magic 2012-2017 days or any other team that went through big rebuilds in past 10 years ( 76ers, Suns, Wolves, Kings...) you will figure that vast majority of those coaches never coach in nba after they fulfill their tank oaths.

Celtics are great team, no doubt, but they also felt comfortable sitting Horford tonight for rest after 2 games played, be esencially without 2 starters ( Williams, Horford) , throw in Luke Kornet, Noah Vonleh and Blake Griffin and still be up by 8 in last minute.

And when you get Fultz and Suggs back, you should be more talented, but they also add to biggest Magic weakness. Shooting. Last two games Magic were in games mostly because Ross in one, Cole in other, shot lights out. Those things don't happen with Fultz and Suggs.


I expected 25-28 wins so to me they look execlly how i expected. Banchero draws fouls like a stud. Franz made minor improvments. Others are more or less execlly what they have been for years.


My friend bamba is as bad as he always was, man never stood me up!

Wow... so you're also saying that us missing fultz, harris, isaac, and suggs.... having to run franz again at the point and playing another harris from the g-league didn't matter at all?... or the lack of consistent lineup availability didn't factor into the first losses. but... "this is what i expected of us"

If it wasn't for derrick white thinking he was steph curry 2.0.... they might have added an L last night. and those close losses the nights before against 2 healthier teams could have been an W just as easily.

None of this is as linear as some might make it seem. just saying.

[basketballRob]

BTW, something we should be monitoring are Ross and Gary Harris performances. They may become super valuable to a playoff team willing to give up young pieces to gear up for a playoff push.

For some reason Ross can't coexist in the lineup with Harris. His play completely falls off when they play together.

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[tiderulz]

Does anyone honestly think Bol is a Center at 220? I think the issue is Bamba isn’t very good and he plays in the second unit with Bol.

Bol isn't a traditional center, but honestly once you start getting into backup center roles at only 15-18 MPG, it doesn't really matter what size someone is anyway because it's not like you're going up against Jokic or Embiid that entire time.

I think they can get creative with Bol or Isaac or even Banchero as a backup center since it's such a small amount of minutes anyway.

they could be. the other team doesnt see that you sub out your center so they sub in their backup center instead of letting Jokic or Embiid have their way with the backup and go on a run

[PrimeThyme]

It’s just hard to justify the Bamba signing. Bol is better in every facet of the game. The way he is able to close out on shooters is honestly jaw-dropping.

Plays with so much intensity. I’d give him all the Bamba minutes. I want to see more.

[KillMonger]

It’s just hard to justify the Bamba signing. Bol is better in every facet of the game. The way he is able to close out on shooters is honestly jaw-dropping.

Plays with so much intensity. I’d give him all the Bamba minutes. I want to see more.

The only thing is that it seems it's hard to get his shot off, slow release

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[NavalAviator94]

It’s just hard to justify the Bamba signing. Bol is better in every facet of the game. The way he is able to close out on shooters is honestly jaw-dropping.

Plays with so much intensity. I’d give him all the Bamba minutes. I want to see more.

The only thing is that it seems it's hard to get his shot off, slow release

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I seems like it’s more hesitation/mindset but maybe it’s more than that


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[KillMonger]

It’s just hard to justify the Bamba signing. Bol is better in every facet of the game. The way he is able to close out on shooters is honestly jaw-dropping.

Plays with so much intensity. I’d give him all the Bamba minutes. I want to see more.

The only thing is that it seems it's hard to get his shot off, slow release

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I seems like it’s more hesitation/mindset but maybe it’s more than that


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it's unfortunate because according to wendell bol is the best shooter among the big men but he's not shooting it

[NavalAviator94]

The only thing is that it seems it's hard to get his shot off, slow release

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I seems like it’s more hesitation/mindset but maybe it’s more than that


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it's unfortunate because according to wendell bol is the best shooter among the big men but he's not shooting it

I hope it’s coming. We see glimpses and he’s getting better and better every minute he plays. He played right there with Paolo as best player on our team tonight. They have to play him more minutes with this kind of progression.


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