2023-2024 Regular Season Game 8: Atlanta Hawks (4-3) vs. Orlando Magic (4-3) in Mexico City - 9:30pm

[OrlMagic05]

Isaac playing at the end of the game was beautiful, and our defense immediately leveled up from him being on the court.

We really need Gary Harris back to provide shooting, especially in end of game situations

While JI's defense is great, i am very concerned with his offense. He is shooting 18% from 3 and 34% from the field. He is a huge liability on offense.

[ibraheim718]

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Passes to Isaac for a slow contested 3.

Whoever tweeted this doesn't really understand the game.. when you have the ball at the top the key all the defenders can get eyes on you and IF you DON'T pass it or can't shoot it which he can't they can build a wall. They did this same thing to Rondo and it's how teams defend Giannis. What needs to change the most is Paolo becoming a better shooter because if you look at the screenshot his man drops the furthest. But go ahead and blame it on the guy who was 4 for 5 from 3 and is shooting the highest 3pt% of all the starters.

[VFX]

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Passes to Isaac for a slow contested 3.

Whoever tweeted this doesn't really understand the game.. when you have the ball at the top the key all the defenders can get eyes on you and IF you DON'T pass it or can't shoot it which he can't they can build a wall. They did this same thing to Rondo and it's how teams defend Giannis. What needs to change the most is Paolo becoming a better shooter because if you look at the screenshot his man drops the furthest. But go ahead and blame it on the guy who was 4 for 5 from 3 and is shooting the highest 3pt% of all the starters.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not blaming Suggs of all people in this game, but it’s not necessarily about whether he’s going to hit the shot or not. The tweet is about holding defenses accountable in how they are guarding Paolo.

Yeah, he has to start shooting better to open up his game. In order for Paolo to work as an initiator on offense Orlando has to have guys on the floor capable enough or perceived as capable of shooting to stretch the floor. You can’t throw an ice cold Franz, Fultz, and JI out there with Paolo and expect defenses not to collapse in on him immediately.

For as talented as Paolo is, we see probably 3-5 possessions a game from him where he turns the ball over or makes a terrible move inside against multiple defenders while going downhill into the paint. Teams have to know this by now.

[ibraheim718]

Read on Twitter

Passes to Isaac for a slow contested 3.

Whoever tweeted this doesn't really understand the game.. when you have the ball at the top the key all the defenders can get eyes on you and IF you DON'T pass it or can't shoot it which he can't they can build a wall. They did this same thing to Rondo and it's how teams defend Giannis. What needs to change the most is Paolo becoming a better shooter because if you look at the screenshot his man drops the furthest. But go ahead and blame it on the guy who was 4 for 5 from 3 and is shooting the highest 3pt% of all the starters.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not blaming Suggs of all people in this game, but it’s not necessarily about whether he’s going to hit the shot or not. The tweet is about holding defenses accountable in how they are guarding Paolo.

Yeah, he has to start shooting better to open up his game. In order for Paolo to work as an initiator on offense Orlando has to have guys on the floor capable enough or perceived as capable of shooting to stretch the floor. You can’t throw an ice cold Franz, Fultz, and JI out there with Paolo and expect defenses not to collapse in on him immediately.

For as talented as Paolo is, we see probably 3-5 possessions a game from him where he turns the ball over or makes a terrible move inside against multiple defenders while going downhill into the paint. Teams have to know this by now.

My point is Paolo can make the game so much easier for him and his team when he starts shooting it better. He and Fultz are hands down the worst shooters on the team. If you flank him with two Luke Kennards HIS defender is still going to sag off of him and it's going to be an issue. You guys want to fix the spacing issue but he and Fultz are the two biggest contributors to poor spacing. You're going to have to look at the players that haven't improved their perimeter shot.

[OrlMagic05]

Whoever tweeted this doesn't really understand the game.. when you have the ball at the top the key all the defenders can get eyes on you and IF you DON'T pass it or can't shoot it which he can't they can build a wall. They did this same thing to Rondo and it's how teams defend Giannis. What needs to change the most is Paolo becoming a better shooter because if you look at the screenshot his man drops the furthest. But go ahead and blame it on the guy who was 4 for 5 from 3 and is shooting the highest 3pt% of all the starters.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not blaming Suggs of all people in this game, but it’s not necessarily about whether he’s going to hit the shot or not. The tweet is about holding defenses accountable in how they are guarding Paolo.

Yeah, he has to start shooting better to open up his game. In order for Paolo to work as an initiator on offense Orlando has to have guys on the floor capable enough or perceived as capable of shooting to stretch the floor. You can’t throw an ice cold Franz, Fultz, and JI out there with Paolo and expect defenses not to collapse in on him immediately.

For as talented as Paolo is, we see probably 3-5 possessions a game from him where he turns the ball over or makes a terrible move inside against multiple defenders while going downhill into the paint. Teams have to know this by now.

My point is Paolo can make the game so much easier for him and his team when he starts shooting it better. He and Fultz are hands down the worst shooters on the team. If you flank him with two Luke Kennards HIS defender is still going to sag off of him and it's going to be an issue. You guys want to fix the spacing issue but he and Fultz are the two biggest contributors to poor spacing. You're going to have to look at the players that haven't improved their perimeter shot.

Actually worst shooter belongs to JI right now.

[ibraheim718]

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not blaming Suggs of all people in this game, but it’s not necessarily about whether he’s going to hit the shot or not. The tweet is about holding defenses accountable in how they are guarding Paolo.

Yeah, he has to start shooting better to open up his game. In order for Paolo to work as an initiator on offense Orlando has to have guys on the floor capable enough or perceived as capable of shooting to stretch the floor. You can’t throw an ice cold Franz, Fultz, and JI out there with Paolo and expect defenses not to collapse in on him immediately.

For as talented as Paolo is, we see probably 3-5 possessions a game from him where he turns the ball over or makes a terrible move inside against multiple defenders while going downhill into the paint. Teams have to know this by now.

My point is Paolo can make the game so much easier for him and his team when he starts shooting it better. He and Fultz are hands down the worst shooters on the team. If you flank him with two Luke Kennards HIS defender is still going to sag off of him and it's going to be an issue. You guys want to fix the spacing issue but he and Fultz are the two biggest contributors to poor spacing. You're going to have to look at the players that haven't improved their perimeter shot.

Actually worst shooter belongs to JI right now.

Sorry I meant out of the starters.

[UCFJayBird]

So I only was able to tune in for the last two minutes last night. Lucky me. Or maybe i'm the bad luck. Either way, what a disastrous ending. I try and remind myself that this team is very young with very young leaders who are going to make mistakes until they learn to have better composure. Because right now that is what this team is lacking. They can be a very good team, but when it gets to crunch time they have trouble maintaining composure. They wind up panicking and turn the ball over with bad decisions.

I put a good amount of blame on Mosley for last night as well. We had a timeout and could've drawn up a play, instead he decides to let his very inexperienced squad go with it, despite them having struggled the last few minutes.

Honestly worst part for me joining late was that horrendous broadcast. Was the clock out of sync the entire game or was that just at the end?

They ran the exact play they wanted in that scenario.

Atlanta was switching everything so Mosley had Isaac at the 5 come up and screen for Franz which forced Capela into the action defended an iso by Franz.

Unlike the possession before, however, where Franz drove to his right and Trae (guarding Suggs) provided no resistance as a help defender, Franz tried to change it up and drive left… only Murray completely and utterly ignored Fultz and rotated over into Franz’s path forcing a pass.

Now all that said, Franz still made the correct read and pass back to Banchero for a wide open jumper.

If the Magic had called a time out and made subs, Atlanta would’ve also made subs and they would not have been able to hunt that Capela mismatch, which is what they really wanted.

Long story short, I didn’t mind the no timeout. They ran the same action the play before and Franz beat Capela and scored.

Thanks for the context. Helpful to know since I only tuned in for literally the last few plays, haha.

[JF5]

I'm reading this thread and I'm kind of confused why people are blaming Fultz. Going back to the Portland game (where Anthony closed instead of Fultz) and the games where Fultz didn't play. This team has consistently lost leads with or without Fultz in the lineup.

I think this season compared to last they're really trying to get it to Paolo and Franz to finish games with the ball in their hands and they've struggled regardless if there was or was not enough spacing. And that's what you want.

But let's not act like Franz and Paolo haven't **** the bed so far. Hopefully they get better as the season progresses when it comes to closing games.

[Bensational]

I just rewatched the final 4 minutes and truthfully Fultz didn’t mess anything up other than not defending Murray on that 3.

Even when Fultz was handing off to Franz and Paolo he was still orchestrating the offense and telling players (mostly Paolo) where to be. They wanted the ball in Franz’s hands after Paolo drew that charge.

[Audi]

I just rewatched the final 4 minutes and truthfully Fultz didn’t mess anything up other than not defending Murray on that 3.

Even when Fultz was handing off to Franz and Paolo he was still orchestrating the offense and telling players (mostly Paolo) where to be. They wanted the ball in Franz’s hands after Paolo drew that charge.

There's a bit of a debate even over that Murray 3. Some think that Fultz read it correctly and was crashing to intercept the baseline pass and Suggs was actually supposed to rotate to Murray (with Paolo dropping back to Sugg's man if Murray swinged it) but Suggs was caught ball watching. I don't know (or care) one way or the other, but it's interesting that there's a bit of divide even on that single play.

[KillMonger]

Went to sleep..... Woke up..... Yeah... Still infuriating

Sent from the phone in my hands

I don’t want them to look back at the end of the season and say “If only we had won this game, the Lakers away game and the Mavs home game.”

3 games we legit should have won.....it's heartbreaking lol

[VFX]

Can’t wait to see who the next whipping boy becomes once Fultz is gone.

You know it’s Suggs.

He can have 7 steals and go 4/5 from 3 and in two games people will make threads talking about why he isn’t a shooting guard that shoots.

Not sure where this Suggs whipping boy stuff is coming from. I literally haven't seen anyone really going hard at him. If anything, quite the opposite, his effort alone is enough to get praise every night. He is the epitome of effort.

We all know this game is played out. You give a guy a few years to grow into a role, he bombs it, you point it out, and then he becomes a whipping boy.

I personally have been pro-Fultz since day 1, just being a Magic fan, I hoped he could somehow get past his shoulder issues and develop a shot, or at the very least, become some sort of deadeye like Derozan.

But it's just not the reality of what is going on here, The guy is throwing hitchy push shots from the free line right now. Not sure he's getting the league min next year at this rate.

He just doesn't excel at anything else (creating, drawing free throws) to ignore the gaping hole in his game, that he is a starting point guard shooting 0% from 3.

I’m being facetious and also somewhat serious.

Most of Fultz apologists have enough awareness to know the Magic lack shooting, but they will then point to other areas to alleviate the glaringly obvious problem with Orlando’s offense. Usually this goes to Suggs or Paolo.

There are posters saying he should be moved regardless of a game like last night because + shooting is more important than limiting + shooting on the other side of the court while waiting for development to make a case.

Fultz gets his criticism, and rightfully so, because of the reasons you’ve expressed. Not sure many guys on rookie deals that play their asses off nightly should be getting anywhere remotely the same scrutiny when it comes to “problems” with the roster.

[ibraheim718]

I re-watched the last 4 minutes.

3:52 left Paolo doesn't pass it to a wide open Suggs after Suggs sets the screen instead tries to force a pass into Fultz by the bucket.. turnover

2:00 Wagner refuses to pass the ball to a wide open Suggs instead clanks a floater off the front of the rim.. Paolo then tries to tie up Johnson instead fouls him sends him to the free throw line

1:33 Paolo is faced up by Capela who is sagging off of him looks off Suggs passes it to Isaac instead clank.

1:11 Paolo runs over Johnson and was going to throw the ball away anyway.

Paolo just crapped the bed.. simple and plain.

[ibraheim718]

I just rewatched the final 4 minutes and truthfully Fultz didn’t mess anything up other than not defending Murray on that 3.

Even when Fultz was handing off to Franz and Paolo he was still orchestrating the offense and telling players (mostly Paolo) where to be. They wanted the ball in Franz’s hands after Paolo drew that charge.

Fultz stupidly leaves Murray wide open to try and box out Capela but he doesn't get there in time anyway. At that point Suggs is left having to guard two players. He need to stay at home on Murray. Plain and simple.

[Bensational]

I just rewatched the final 4 minutes and truthfully Fultz didn’t mess anything up other than not defending Murray on that 3.

Even when Fultz was handing off to Franz and Paolo he was still orchestrating the offense and telling players (mostly Paolo) where to be. They wanted the ball in Franz’s hands after Paolo drew that charge.

Fultz stupidly leaves Murray wide open to try and box out Capela but he doesn't get there in time anyway. At that point Suggs is left having to guard two players. He need to stay at home on Murray. Plain and simple.

Lol, you’re a little worked up over one play there. Fultz wasn’t a problem outside of that. Had he done more than Paolo and Franz would’ve done less. They’ll watch tape and learn lessons. Fultz will learn to stay home. Paolo will learn to look for Suggs when he’s hot from 3 and wide open. Maybe Mosley learns to put a shooter in if he’s taking the ball out of Fultz’s hands.

[KillMonger]

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[eyriq]

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Unsustainable. Free throw rate is going to be our offensive differentiator. We can't brick them.

[ibraheim718]

If you want to simplify what this team is at this point in the season.. they play top 5 defense and are a top 5 rebounding team. They are a bottom 5 3pt shooting team with regards to % and volume. A bottom 5 ft%. Bottom 10 Assist per game. Top 2 in steals. Bottom 10 in fast break points.

Team needs to run more, shoot more 3's, and shoot their FTS better while defending and rebounding the same.

[The-Stallion70]

If you want to simplify what this team is at this point in the season.. they play top 5 defense and are a top 5 rebounding team. They are a bottom 5 3pt shooting team with regards to % and volume. A bottom 5 ft%. Bottom 10 Assist per game. Top 2 in steals. Bottom 10 in fast break points.

Team needs to run more, shoot more 3's, and shoot their FTS better while defending and rebounding the same.

BUT BUT BUT ITS FULTZ FALT

[ibraheim718]

If you want to simplify what this team is at this point in the season.. they play top 5 defense and are a top 5 rebounding team. They are a bottom 5 3pt shooting team with regards to % and volume. A bottom 5 ft%. Bottom 10 Assist per game. Top 2 in steals. Bottom 10 in fast break points.

Team needs to run more, shoot more 3's, and shoot their FTS better while defending and rebounding the same.

BUT BUT BUT ITS FULTZ FALT

Well... he doesn't shoot 3's and he could shoot his ft's at a higher % and should probably try and get to the line more.