2023-2024 Preseason Season Game 1: Orlando Magic (0-0) at New Orleans Pelicans (0-0) - 8pm

[thelead]

I could be completely wrong on this, but it certainly seemed to me like Black was the guy filling Ingles spot in the rotation tonight. Not Harris.

I see it this way too unfortunately. We’ll find out soon enough.

[ORLMagicGirl15]

If we have PG threads, do3s that mean no more sweater vest or dunce cap?

The consensus was no post game threads.

There will be vest threads after regular season wins as usual.

Do people actually want dunce cap threads or what?

We tried that a few years ago, people weren't ready.

[Knightro]

I could be completely wrong on this, but it certainly seemed to me like Black was the guy filling Ingles spot in the rotation tonight. Not Harris.

How did the rotation go? I thought it was Cole for Suggs, Harris for Franz, and Black for Fultz.

It was. But I don't think you can necessarily look at it like that though because Ingles will obviously fill a different role than the three guard lineup they used tonight

Black came in for Fultz, but he didn't really fill the same role as Fultz if that makes sense. When Fultz is in the game, particularly with the starters - he's the point guard and primary facilitator.

When Cole and Black shared the floor, it was like 70/30 in favor of Cole as the point guard/primary ball handler. Black was more off the ball than on it even though he subbed in for Fultz.

And when Fultz came back in, he came back in for Cole and not Black.

[Bensational]

This team is going to break some spirits defensively this season. Suggs in the SL is a menace! The team is doing well to get stops and get out and run, turning defense into offense. If Isaac and Black become a regular bench pairing they’re gonna stifle 2nd units.

Building a defensive/team identity is stage one in moving from rebuild into real basketball.

[RookieStar]

If we have PG threads, do3s that mean no more sweater vest or dunce cap?

The consensus was no post game threads.

There will be vest threads after regular season wins as usual.

Do people actually want dunce cap threads or what?

52 win seasons need a dunce cap thread

Agreed. We need to vent and decidr who to drive to the airport after every loss.

[The-Stallion70]

Didn't watch the game, Black played on the wing? And at those Fultz and Paolo dunks

[Knightro]

Didn't watch the game, Black played on the wing? And at those Fultz and Paolo dunks

He played both on and off the ball, yes.

When he was working with the rotation guys it was probably 30-35% on the ball and 65-70% off the ball.

Cole was feeling it a bit, so he dominated a lot of possessions in the 2nd quarter as he often does in that situation.

[eyriq]

I could be completely wrong on this, but it certainly seemed to me like Black was the guy filling Ingles spot in the rotation tonight. Not Harris.

How did the rotation go? I thought it was Cole for Suggs, Harris for Franz, and Black for Fultz.

It was. But I don't think you can necessarily look at it like that though because Ingles will obviously fill a different role than the three guard lineup they used tonight

Black came in for Fultz, but he didn't really fill the same role as Fultz if that makes sense. When Fultz is in the game, particularly with the starters - he's the point guard and primary facilitator.

When Cole and Black shared the floor, it was like 70/30 in favor of Cole as the point guard/primary ball handler. Black was more off the ball than on it even though he subbed in for Fultz.

And when Fultz came back in, he came back in for Cole and not Black.

Fair enough, though I think you should be sweating losing that bet eventually.

[Knightro]

This team is going to break some spirits defensively this season. Suggs in the SL is a menace! The team is doing well to get stops and get out and run, turning defense into offense. If Isaac and Black become a regular bench pairing they’re gonna stifle 2nd units.

Building a defensive/team identity is stage one in moving from rebuild into real basketball.

If they're committed to Fultz/Suggs as the starting backcourt, then one of two things needs to happen.

A. One or both of those guys has to shoot way better (volume and accuracy for Fultz, accuracy for Suggs) from 3PT than they've ever shot before.

or

B. The starting lineup has to increase their effectiveness in transition to help mitigate their weaker perimeter shooting. They played middle of the pack from a pace perspective last year, but were only 23rd in fastbreak points because they were 24th percentile in transition scoring.

[tooler]

I watched the highlights. I loved the dunks and wow it's fascinating to watch Anthony Black glide around on defense. Let's hope he's functional.

[eyriq]

This team is going to break some spirits defensively this season. Suggs in the SL is a menace! The team is doing well to get stops and get out and run, turning defense into offense. If Isaac and Black become a regular bench pairing they’re gonna stifle 2nd units.

Building a defensive/team identity is stage one in moving from rebuild into real basketball.

Black's lateral quickness is astounding, quite frankly. He reminds me a lot of Franz. Isaac swallows people up. Suggs is force. Fultz plays good D too. Fultz, Suggs, Black, Isaac, and Franz are some excellent defenders to sprinkle throughout a rotation. Paolo even looked like an average defender at times tonight. WCJ is solid. We've got potential to be a top 10 defense for sure.

Offense though... disappointed not to see a single free throw or three pointer from Fultz. It was pretty much the floor general, game manager role from him. Not hating yet but I'm hoping for a lot more from him.

[Knightro]

I watched the highlights. I loved the dunks and wow it's fascinating to watch Anthony Black glide around on defense. Let's hope he's functional.

Obviously we can't make any concrete determinations based on one preseason game, but it certainly appears Black - at least early in his career - is going to make most of his impact as a connector piece.

The kind of player who makes good decisions with the ball. The kind of player who can easily shoulder secondary playmaking duties. The kind of player who has positional size and gives good effort defensively and as a rebounder. Just a high feel, do the little things kind of player you want to surround stars with.

But shooting/scoring wise he looked like a rookie tonight. And not in a good way.

[Bensational]

Offense though... disappointed not to see a single free throw or three pointer from Fultz. It was pretty much the floor general, game manager role from him. Not hating yet but I'm hoping for a lot more from him.

Yeah, it was very interesting to see he didn’t even put up a single 3. I only saw the 2nd quarter, so I can’t speak to how many opportunities he turned down.

If they lean into run and gun as others have suggested it’ll help make up for less shooting. Defense and transition have traditionally been the first stepping stone for young teams, and we’re built for it. They’ll have to sort out a game plan for shooting at some point though.

[KillMonger]

Offense though... disappointed not to see a single free throw or three pointer from Fultz. It was pretty much the floor general, game manager role from him. Not hating yet but I'm hoping for a lot more from him.

Yeah, it was very interesting to see he didn’t even put up a single 3. I only saw the 2nd quarter, so I can’t speak to how many opportunities he turned down.

If they lean into run and gun as others have suggested it’ll help make up for less shooting. Defense and transition have traditionally been the first stepping stone for young teams, and we’re built for it. They’ll have to sort out a game plan for shooting at some point though.

might be mental....at this point it's clear it's not due to lack of ability to do so it's just that he doesn't want to pull the trigger......ironically sort of like ben simmons in a way....you can shoot you just choose not to

[pepe1991]

Oh, also I think Suggs in the SL is necessary too. Just causes too much defensive chaos and if he can just shoot threes DECENTLY then he gives a lot more than Gary despite being a better shooter.

That non existing spacing would hurt them sooner or later. Even in meaningless preseason game, only shooter in starting 5 was guy who's career numbers are 32% on 2,1 attemp.

If you want streach 5, Wendell really isn't that guy.

[drsd]

Cole or WCJ for sweater vest

Anthony for vest
Carter for cummerbund
Banchero for mittens (some awesome highlight moves on offense)

Overall it is clear this is going to be a good defensive team. That makes me happy!

[CarraT]

Not that I expected it, but I was really hoping for Fultz to shoot some 3s with good form. Guess we know the reason there weren´t typical summer training videos of him raining 3s in an empty hall. He just cant.

[zaymon]

I cant believe Mosley once again tries this ridiculous Fultz/Suggs backcourt. Worst combo you can think of among all our guards. One guard who cant shoot and one who cant and wont. WCJ wont shoot 4/5 from 3 every game.
I hope its only becouse he wants to prove that this combination doesnt work to silence the critics.

[SOUL]

It's obviously a flawed lineup but not a bad one - people focus so much on shooting flaws that they completely disregard the good things they compliment each other with. Too many teams tried to emulate the Warriors only to completely fail because they don't have the system of passers or two revolutionary shooters. You need shooting in the modern NBA, so having only 1 or 2 okay shooters in the starting lineup doesn't work long term, but this is one of the more dynamic starting lineups we can have currently that doesn't involve Cole who seems to be a beast in his current role.

Last year it didn't play together much (58 mins) but ORTG was 113.7 and DRTG was 102 and had one of our faster paces for anything over 50 minutes, as well as being the highest net rating difference for anything over 50 minutes.

The one we played most last year was with Gary Harris where ORTG was 113.0 and DRTG 111, which was waaaay more minutes so obviously it was solid but the DRTG left a bit to be desired.

[Audi]

Really disappointed in Fultz’s 10-5-4. 0-0 from 3 in unacceptable. He should’ve given up those high % transition looks at the rim and tried jacking up a few threes instead.