Dim Hope for a play in spot

basketballRob · Post #21 » by **basketballRob** » Wed Mar 8, 2023 6:21 pm

IllMagic04 wrote:The Portland loss closed the door but it got cracked when I saw the Bucks were missing their key guys. Getting completely destroyed by them felt like the end of any hope. That said I do not want to tank or start resting guys especially when mathematically we are still alive. If we win 8 of the next 10 we are right back in it. Obviously, that's not going to happen but that's for us fans to say. I want Paolo and Franz to believe we can. I want to establish right now that we don't quit. If you look at the rest of the schedule alot of the teams we play are playing for something so these games should still be some intense basketball. We can't catch the bottom 4 anyway so lets finish strong. There's a lot of good things going for this team.

We could still finish 8th or 9th and really have no chance at VW, Scoot, or Miller. Plus, we can try things like starting Suggs at PG for 30 mpg for 10 or more games. We could also play Okeke, and maybe he could revamp his value.

What if we're playing our guys 35 mpg at a young age in a meaningless season and they have an injury?

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IllMagic04 · Post #22 » by **IllMagic04** » Wed Mar 8, 2023 7:40 pm

basketballRob wrote:
IllMagic04 wrote:The Portland loss closed the door but it got cracked when I saw the Bucks were missing their key guys. Getting completely destroyed by them felt like the end of any hope. That said I do not want to tank or start resting guys especially when mathematically we are still alive. If we win 8 of the next 10 we are right back in it. Obviously, that's not going to happen but that's for us fans to say. I want Paolo and Franz to believe we can. I want to establish right now that we don't quit. If you look at the rest of the schedule alot of the teams we play are playing for something so these games should still be some intense basketball. We can't catch the bottom 4 anyway so lets finish strong. There's a lot of good things going for this team.
We could still finish 8th or 9th and really have no chance at VW, Scoot, or Miller. Plus, we can try things like starting Suggs at PG for 30 mpg for 10 or more games. We could also play Okeke, and maybe he could revamp his value.

What if we're playing our guys 35 mpg at a young age in a meaningless season and they have an injury?

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Injuries are part of the game. I don't think we should look at it that way. As fans I get it but as players, I want guys who still believe. They have been very open that they want to fight for the play in. I just think it be a bad look to pull the plug on them now even if it looks bleak. Let these kids keep fighting. As for the lottery, its just that... a lottery. We could leapfrong to 8 ( I doubt that happens) and win the lottery. It just feels different because we got Paolo and Franz. Most years I'd be all in on the tank.

RookieStar · Post #23 » by **RookieStar** » Wed Mar 8, 2023 8:04 pm

I was in Team Play-in all season long... but I know when to give up. Time to scout the prospects baby!!!

GameOver25 · Post #24 » by **GameOver25** » Wed Mar 8, 2023 8:24 pm

Play-ins!
Don't talk about the Play-ins!!
I just hope we can win the lottery!!!

JoshuaPotter · Post #25 » by **JoshuaPotter** » Wed Mar 8, 2023 8:46 pm

I never saw us making the play ins. I did see the team trying though. I really believe we would have been .500 or so team this year. Now that really depends on how the rest of the season plays out as well. We could go for a huge losing streak from here. I doubt it though.

drsd · Post #26 » by **drsd** » Thu Mar 9, 2023 8:06 am

OrlDave wrote:
MasterGMer wrote: We just lost to a Jure Holiday and Giannis less Milwaukee team. Horrible loss.

Eh, I think it's hyperbole to call losing to a hot, veteran Milwaukee team "horrible". We were also missing 2/5ths of our SL and not having WCj to defend Brook Lopez was clearly problematic. And we could have used Gary Harris' shooting all game. The Bucks couldn't miss and we kept rimming 3s out. Sucks to lose, but a horrible loss it is not IMO.

Now, not only is the Bucks great up top, the team has real depth now. I will lose no sleep to the Magic losing a game to a team that will almost certainly get to the ECFs.

drsd · Post #27 » by **drsd** » Thu Mar 9, 2023 10:55 am

RookieStar wrote:I was in Team Play-in all season long... but I know when to give up. Time to scout the prospects baby!!!

For me the play-ins became improbable on 25 February when the Magic lost to the Pacers and became impossible on 5 March when the Magic lost to the Blazers. Certainly losing to the Bucks is another nail in the coffin. But as a Homer, I am very pleased that Orlando was relevant to the play-in conversation up to game 60. That makes me happy. This team could have quit early in the season, and did not.

That is growth.

Now all we can do is want Orlando to win (for "player development") and Chicago to lose: the fat-free path to a higher draft pick.

My fear is that Chicago catches LAL, New Orleans, OKC, Portland, and/or Utah. The Bulls pick could be 6 or 16. THere is a lot to root for here in cheating for Bulls losses to pile on.

Orlando cannot finished better than 6th best team no matter how good this team closes out the season, so JUST WIN.
I don't care if the Magic draft 5 or 6. It's all the same to me. So: JUST WIN.

..

basketballRob · Post #28 » by **basketballRob** » Thu Mar 9, 2023 11:34 am

We play Utah tonight, and they're only one game ahead of the Bulls.

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JoshuaPotter · Post #29 » by **JoshuaPotter** » Thu Mar 9, 2023 4:37 pm

drsd wrote:
RookieStar wrote:I was in Team Play-in all season long... but I know when to give up. Time to scout the prospects baby!!!

For me the play-ins became improbable on 25 February when the Magic lost to the Pacers and became impossible on 5 March when the Magic lost to the Blazers. Certainly losing to the Bucks is another nail in the coffin. But as a Homer, I am very pleased that Orlando was relevant to the play-in conversation up to game 60. That makes me happy. This team could have quit early in the season, and did not.

That is growth.

Now all we can do is want Orlando to win (for "player development") and Chicago to lose: the fat-free path to a higher draft pick.

My fear is that Chicago catches LAL, New Orleans, OKC, Portland, and/or Utah. The Bulls pick could be 6 or 16. THere is a lot to root for here in cheating for Bulls losses to pile on.

Orlando cannot finished better than 6th best team no matter how good this team closes out the season, so JUST WIN.
I don't care if the Magic draft 5 or 6. It's all the same to me. So: JUST WIN.

..

It's part of the reason I am not upset when we win, and not upset when we lose. Like, our season start was woeful. Yet, watching the highlight real every game was so much fun.

A win validates that we are a true .500 team if we just simply look at the metrics post injury. The bar will definitely be raised next season from play-in to playoffs.

A loss is a win-win but not a moral victory in any case. I don't mind keeping our current chance of getting 30% for a top 3 pick or just staying where we are at 5-6.

Edit : Should we decrease Paolo or Franz playing team from here? Eh. Let's just say we probably shouldn't increase it. Remember, we could still kill the hopes of some team making the playoffs. That is as important even if our hopes are dashed. Its a matter of competitive pride. And I think our team has that.

drsd · Post #30 » by **drsd** » Thu Mar 9, 2023 5:09 pm

JoshuaPotter wrote:Remember, we could still kill the hopes of some team making the playoffs.

drsd · Post #31 » by **drsd** » Thu Mar 9, 2023 5:16 pm

GameOver25 wrote:Play-ins!
Don't talk about the Play-ins!!
I just hope we can win the lottery!!!

Orlando makes the plan-ins, wins the NBA championship and at #16 drafts Taylor Hendricks who turns in to the second coming of Kawhi Leonard.

That's what I dream for!

..

MasterGMer · Post #32 » by **MasterGMer** » Fri Mar 10, 2023 2:53 am

Play In chase is over?

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thelead · Post #33 » by **thelead** » Fri Mar 10, 2023 3:04 am

MasterGMer wrote:Play In chase is over?

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Watch on YouTube

drsd · Post #34 » by **drsd** » Fri Mar 10, 2023 9:50 am

thelead wrote:
MasterGMer wrote:Play In chase is over?

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Watch on YouTube

Highlight of my day!

..

MasterGMer · Post #35 » by **MasterGMer** » Sun Mar 12, 2023 3:04 am

Now Magic is going on to the west coast trip to face some of the playoff caliber teams in the west. Luckily Suns is without Durant. But it is still going to be tough. San Antonio game is a must win for our play in hope. And we have to win one of the Clippers and Lakers games

Post #36 » by **eyriq** » Sun Mar 12, 2023 3:11 am

thelead wrote:
MasterGMer wrote:Play In chase is over?

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Watch on YouTube

Haha

I am raccoon

The-Stallion70 · Post #37 » by **The-Stallion70** » Mon Mar 13, 2023 12:34 am

Need to put together a win streak, upcoming schedule doesn't look too bad except for Cavs b2b and Grizz.

The-Stallion70 · Post #38 » by **The-Stallion70** » Mon Mar 13, 2023 12:36 am

eyriq wrote:
thelead wrote:
MasterGMer wrote:Play In chase is over?

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Watch on YouTube
Haha

I am raccoon

i am raccoon

Can this be the new Magic chant?

drsd · Post #39 » by **drsd** » Mon Mar 13, 2023 12:58 am

The-Stallion70 wrote:
eyriq wrote:
thelead wrote:

Watch on YouTube
Haha

I am raccoon

i am raccoon

Can this be the new Magic chant?

Post #40 » by **eyriq** » Mon Mar 13, 2023 1:19 am

The-Stallion70 wrote:
eyriq wrote:
thelead wrote:

Watch on YouTube
Haha

I am raccoon

i am raccoon

Can this be the new Magic chant?

Haha I love it