2022-2023 Regular Season Game 72: Orlando Magic (29-42) at Los Angeles Lakers (34-37) - 9:30pm

[thelead]

I'm not super concerned with the Magic winning too much down the stretch here.

They have 10 games left. Only 3 of them are against non-playoff teams and two of those three are against the Wizards who have absolutely smoked the Magic twice already this year.

All these other teams - Memphis and Brooklyn and Cleveland and Miami are all playing for seeding at the very least.

I think a 3-7 close is pretty likely which would put the Magic at just 32 wins.

Portland would only have to go 2-9 in their last 11 to stay ahead of the Magic. I just can't imagine Portland, who has already lost 6 in a row, finishing their season losing 16 of 17.

Let me remind you that Portland sat ALL of their starters down the stretch last year. They have ZERO shame.

Look at this boxscore from their last game last season:
https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401361049

[Knightro]

Let me remind you that Portland sat ALL of their starters down the stretch last year. They have ZERO shame.

Look at this boxscore from their last game last season:
https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401361049

They did. And they probably will again this year.

But even with that, they still managed to win 2 of their final 17 games last year. They'd have to somehow be even worse and only win 1 of their last 17

[Knightro]

Austin Reaves had 18 FT attempts tonight.

The last Magic player to do that was Dwight Howard in 2012.

The last non-Dwight player to do that (Dwight did it 36 times) was Steve Francis back in 2004!

[ChosenSavior]

Like how self aware Paolo is about himself and his game. Enjoyed his post game interview tonight. Sky is the limit for him as long as he puts in the work.

[thelead]

Like how self aware Paolo is about himself and his game. Enjoyed his post game interview tonight. Sky is the limit for him as long as he puts in the work.

Seems to have been raised right. Hopefully the work he'll put in gets him to where he wants to be.

[Knightro]

Tonight was the worst 3PT shooting game of young Franz Wagner’s career.

His previous worst was 0-5.

[drsd]

Guard defense was atrocious.

And-1

Yuck.

When will this team be good at making 3s????

When the Magic dumps G-Harris and Suggs to revamp the SG core with snipers. Plus: Houstan is not a SG and needs all his minutes at the SF slot.

[drsd]

Glass half-full stat: a very, very low TO line by the Magic. Indeed the turn-over differential was almost the same as Orlando's total TOs.

Orlando stayed in a game with poor shooting, poor rebounding and poor defense becasue of this stat line, perhaps more than any other.

With 24 more FG opportunities, a lot of games can be won with that sort of differential n opportunities.

[drsd]

Given that F-Wagner was not shooting well, it would have been nice to see him try to force more fouls. Ditto with Banchero. They will learn.

[Ralof]

Back to back away game and a.reaves shots 44000 free throws,lol

[pepe1991]

Rumor has it Reaves is still at FT line

[basketballRob]

After hearing that, Schofield is Paolo's workout partner. I see why he got a contract before Keyon.

Sent from my SM-G781U using RealGM mobile app

[Skybox]

Wow...game was past my bedtime but Reaves (off the bench) had more FTAs than ORL...that was probably tough to watch.

[Skybox]

Nothing is guaranteed but drafting Wemby, Scoot, or Miller could set this franchise up for a 5-10 year run fairly quickly.

I hope management have a more concrete plan on getting better than hopping we win the lottery again.

Life is often about luck. You have to put yourself in the best position possible but some stuff is just out of your hands.

The harder you work, the luckier you get.

[KillMonger]

Wow...game was past my bedtime but Reaves (off the bench) had more FTAs than ORL...that was probably tough to watch.

it was....a lot of what he was doing is the kind of stuff that needs to be out of the game of basketball....foul baiting....not really trying to play the game just trying to manipulate the refs into making a call....to the point where he's jumping into our players initiating all the contact(something there is an actual rule for which is an offensive foul). Complete with flailing of the arms and head , it just seems like you couldn't breathe on austin reeves.....meanwhile paolo could draw the same exact contact but they would swallow the whistle....even with all that said we still had a chance, then markelle pretty much ended that with a brain fart on defense....super frustrating to watch but....if you're a tank guy then this is a good tank win i guess

[Skybox]

Wow...game was past my bedtime but Reaves (off the bench) had more FTAs than ORL...that was probably tough to watch.

it was....a lot of what he was doing is the kind of stuff that needs to be out of the game of basketball....foul baiting....not really trying to play the game just trying to manipulate the refs into making a call....to the point where he's jumping into our players initiating all the contact(something there is an actual rule for which is an offensive foul). Complete with flailing of the arms and head , it just seems like you couldn't breathe on austin reeves.....meanwhile paolo could draw the same exact contact but they would swallow the whistle....even with all that said we still had a chance, then markelle pretty much ended that with a brain fart on defense....super frustrating to watch but....if you're a tank guy then this is a good tank win i guess

I'm the farthest thing from a conspiracy guy but ...Austin Reaves?

Oh, that's right...he plays for LBJ's Lakers. If there was a reason for a "leaning" it would certainly be for LAL/LBJ to make the playoffs.

[KillMonger]

Wow...game was past my bedtime but Reaves (off the bench) had more FTAs than ORL...that was probably tough to watch.

it was....a lot of what he was doing is the kind of stuff that needs to be out of the game of basketball....foul baiting....not really trying to play the game just trying to manipulate the refs into making a call....to the point where he's jumping into our players initiating all the contact(something there is an actual rule for which is an offensive foul). Complete with flailing of the arms and head , it just seems like you couldn't breathe on austin reeves.....meanwhile paolo could draw the same exact contact but they would swallow the whistle....even with all that said we still had a chance, then markelle pretty much ended that with a brain fart on defense....super frustrating to watch but....if you're a tank guy then this is a good tank win i guess

I'm the farthest thing from a conspiracy guy but ...Austin Reaves?

Oh, that's right...he plays for LBJ's Lakers. If there was a reason for a "leaning" it would certainly be for LAL/LBJ to make the playoffs.

i'm not really with that sort of ideology as well but watching what and how he was doing what he was doing was something to behold...in my head i'm thinking the refs have to see what he's doing....it's a trae young special...james harden would applause with the kind of foul baiting they were letting him get away with...

Read on Twitter

That got No call....but austin reaves was getting to the line with less contact than that

[pepe1991]

it was....a lot of what he was doing is the kind of stuff that needs to be out of the game of basketball....foul baiting....not really trying to play the game just trying to manipulate the refs into making a call....to the point where he's jumping into our players initiating all the contact(something there is an actual rule for which is an offensive foul). Complete with flailing of the arms and head , it just seems like you couldn't breathe on austin reeves.....meanwhile paolo could draw the same exact contact but they would swallow the whistle....even with all that said we still had a chance, then markelle pretty much ended that with a brain fart on defense....super frustrating to watch but....if you're a tank guy then this is a good tank win i guess

I'm the farthest thing from a conspiracy guy but ...Austin Reaves?

Oh, that's right...he plays for LBJ's Lakers. If there was a reason for a "leaning" it would certainly be for LAL/LBJ to make the playoffs.

i'm not really with that sort of ideology as well but watching what and how he was doing what he was doing was something to behold...in my head i'm thinking the refs have to see what he's doing....it's a trae young special...james harden would applause with the kind of foul baiting they were letting him get away with...

Read on Twitter

That got No call....but austin reaves was getting to the line with less contact than that

Honestlly, i would not call that a foul on anybody. But given where we at, and what's called a foul... oh well.

But there is massive push for Lakers to make playin and playoffs so i'm not sure why everybody is shocked. NBA is private league and they make most money when biggest market and team is most sucessful one.
that's just reality of situation.

[drsd]

Let me remind you that Portland sat ALL of their starters down the stretch last year. They have ZERO shame.

Not only is the Blazers on a 6-game losing streak, the team is 3 1/2 games back of a play in slot. This is probably the only team Orlando can catch in the standings, as I agree, shamelessness is probable in the Portland future.

538 has Portland going 4-7 and Orlando 4-6. If it is actually 3-8 and 5-5 (i.e. a one game shot in both directions), the Magic tie.


Orlando advancing to the 6th worst team is not likely but it is also far from improbable.

[drsd]

Read on Twitter

Honestlly, i would not call that a foul on anybody.[/quote]

???

Gabriel's arms were down on the first bump - foul. Then his elbow hit Banchero's: twice - foul.

This was a clear shooting foul.