2023-2024 Regular Season Game 13: Orlando Magic (7-5) at Indiana Pacers (7-4) - 5pm

[Rainwater]

OMG Black, Caleb and Jett are just being manhandled by the Pacers' scrubs.
Just grow a pair and spine and finish the job tonight in a respectable manner.

P.S. Cut off all the whining PLEASE about "Jett, Jett", "AB over Fultz" and "Houston buried". It's just silly, there's a good reason those guys are not in the rotation when all bodies are healthy. They need time to develop and gain some experience and self-esteem. Just not there yet.

I agree to certain extent but I think the magic can be better with someone besides Fultz.

Also true. Given the fact that we have a season where the Magic organization is after getting wins in any way possible, Fultz will always be higher (when healthy and until he's traded away) in the pecking order over Anthony Black. Just the reality in the NBA - veterans over rookies, experience over youth when success on a regular basis is required.

Nothing surprising or wrong about it, just the cold reality of the NBA and not the ungrounded wishful RealGM board thinking and childish whining.

I love AB and have high hopes for him, but let's be honest here - he ain't contributing much besides bringing the ball up the court (slowly) after made basket, distributing it to P5 or Franz to take over. He makes an occasional backdoor cut for an easy basket which is the result of his court awareness but mainly a product of the good passing and rotations of the starters.

And he plays solid D with some block or a steal here and there. Not much else in terms of pick n roll, consistent scoring, shooting, driving, dishing or eliminating his personal defender...you know stuff like that those elite guards do.

AB is Young and will learn, let's just not pretend he's something else than an unexperienced and raw rookie that has a long way in front of him.

I agree Fultz is better right now but the thing is that Fultz is a free agent and I don’t see the magic keeping him. There is a good chance he might get traded as they don’t want to lose him for nothing. I feel Iike it’s inevitable that Black will start.

But my situation is an hypothetical. So like you said it’s better we start Fultz until that trade occurs.

[FrightCoward]

Paolo haters in shambles tonight. 24 points without even playing the 4th, extremely efficient and a team high +28 in a game they led by 40 at one point.

[mattyBoi]

The Magic will now play 3 games in 4 nights, with two of them being tournament games.

[SOUL]

Futlz can both be a solid short-term answer for a team that could use ball handlers and not a long term option at all due to the fact he still can't shoot threes or space the floor.

[eyriq]

The Magic will now play 3 games in 4 nights, with two of them being tournament games.

Crunch time.

[MaKiaVeLi7]

I agree to certain extent but I think the magic can be better with someone besides Fultz.

Also true. Given the fact that we have a season where the Magic organization is after getting wins in any way possible, Fultz will always be higher (when healthy and until he's traded away) in the pecking order over Anthony Black. Just the reality in the NBA - veterans over rookies, experience over youth when success on a regular basis is required.

Nothing surprising or wrong about it, just the cold reality of the NBA and not the ungrounded wishful RealGM board thinking and childish whining.

I love AB and have high hopes for him, but let's be honest here - he ain't contributing much besides bringing the ball up the court (slowly) after made basket, distributing it to P5 or Franz to take over. He makes an occasional backdoor cut for an easy basket which is the result of his court awareness but mainly a product of the good passing and rotations of the starters.

And he plays solid D with some block or a steal here and there. Not much else in terms of pick n roll, consistent scoring, shooting, driving, dishing or eliminating his personal defender...you know stuff like that those elite guards do.

AB is Young and will learn, let's just not pretend he's something else than an unexperienced and raw rookie that has a long way in front of him.

I agree Fultz is better right now but the thing is that Fultz is a free agent and I don’t see the magic keeping him. There is a good chance he might get traded as they don’t want to lose him for nothing. I feel Iike it’s inevitable that Black will start.

But my situation is an hypothetical. So like you said it’s better we start Fultz until that trade occurs.

Coach Mosley is not stupid. If the GMs set the target for him to go and chase wins and playoff berth, he has no choice and knows he has to rely on the more experienced and proven guns on the squad.

He will always favor Markelle and rightfully so. Mosley ain't that dumb to forget he is also being evaluated and needs success with this still young team, he needs wins while still developing the rookies but relying mainly on the veterans (still young players). Otherwise, Mosley risks finding himself unemployed in 1-2 years and looking for a head coaching job and those ain't that easy to find in the NBA.

I also think Kelle's days in Magic uniform are numbered unless he explodes after seeing the young competition challenging his spot (which is not out of the question still).

[tooler]

The Magic will now play 3 games in 4 nights, with two of them being tournament games.

Who made this schedule…?!

[TheChaser]

Looks like the regular rotation guys really killed it for me. It was nice to see us explode on what everyone thinks is an up and coming Indiana team.

[TheChaser]

And thanks again to everyone!

[SOUL]

Read on Twitter

[Rainwater]

Also true. Given the fact that we have a season where the Magic organization is after getting wins in any way possible, Fultz will always be higher (when healthy and until he's traded away) in the pecking order over Anthony Black. Just the reality in the NBA - veterans over rookies, experience over youth when success on a regular basis is required.

Nothing surprising or wrong about it, just the cold reality of the NBA and not the ungrounded wishful RealGM board thinking and childish whining.

I love AB and have high hopes for him, but let's be honest here - he ain't contributing much besides bringing the ball up the court (slowly) after made basket, distributing it to P5 or Franz to take over. He makes an occasional backdoor cut for an easy basket which is the result of his court awareness but mainly a product of the good passing and rotations of the starters.

And he plays solid D with some block or a steal here and there. Not much else in terms of pick n roll, consistent scoring, shooting, driving, dishing or eliminating his personal defender...you know stuff like that those elite guards do.

AB is Young and will learn, let's just not pretend he's something else than an unexperienced and raw rookie that has a long way in front of him.

I agree Fultz is better right now but the thing is that Fultz is a free agent and I don’t see the magic keeping him. There is a good chance he might get traded as they don’t want to lose him for nothing. I feel Iike it’s inevitable that Black will start.

But my situation is an hypothetical. So like you said it’s better we start Fultz until that trade occurs.

Coach Mosley is not stupid. If the GMs set the target for him to go and chase wins and playoff berth, he has no choice and knows he has to rely on the more experienced and proven guns on the squad.

He will always favor Markelle and rightfully so. Mosley ain't that dumb to forget he is also being evaluated and needs success with this still young team, he needs wins while still developing the rookies but relying mainly on the veterans (still young players).

I also think Kelle's days in Magic uniform are numbered unless he explodes after seeing the young competition challenging his spot (which is not out of the question still).

I am part of the group where I don’t think the organization cares too much about wins right now but rather growth. If the organization did care about wins the off season would have gone differently.

I feel like Fultz will be traded when they have the first opportunity even if it cost the team wins. And given how they have played without him I think they will be fine regardless.

I am still a little skeptical on Black, I really hope he brings more than just defense. He is still a rookie so he still has time to improve.

[richi_v25]

Paolo haters in shambles tonight. 24 points without even playing the 4th, extremely efficient and a team high +28 in a game they led by 40 at one point.

A real baller would have more than 3 reb go with that, we need to trade that scrub while we still can... I'm kidding but it was nice seeing him man handle Indiana.

[SOUL]

The rooks are progressing basically how I envisioned before the season and stated it in posts.

AB will be a connector piece his first year and not ran as a PG full-time, going to have games where he contributes doing the little things as he has already and then some clunkers.

Jett will have a hard time finding the floor until one of the guards is moved, will get more of a chance next year unless he's part of some trade package.

I think people got used to rookies coming in and playing and it just skewed opinions on how much they should play or how much they impact the game.

[richi_v25]

Read on Twitter

He is the heart of this hustle team, loved that he came out shooting.

[Skybox]

I agree Fultz is better right now but the thing is that Fultz is a free agent and I don’t see the magic keeping him. There is a good chance he might get traded as they don’t want to lose him for nothing. I feel Iike it’s inevitable that Black will start.

But my situation is an hypothetical. So like you said it’s better we start Fultz until that trade occurs.

Coach Mosley is not stupid. If the GMs set the target for him to go and chase wins and playoff berth, he has no choice and knows he has to rely on the more experienced and proven guns on the squad.

He will always favor Markelle and rightfully so. Mosley ain't that dumb to forget he is also being evaluated and needs success with this still young team, he needs wins while still developing the rookies but relying mainly on the veterans (still young players).

I also think Kelle's days in Magic uniform are numbered unless he explodes after seeing the young competition challenging his spot (which is not out of the question still).

I am part of the group where I don’t think the organization cares too much about wins right now but rather growth. If the organization did care about wins the off season would have gone differently.

I feel like Fultz will be traded when they have the first opportunity even if it cost the team wins. And given how they have played without him I think they will be fine regardless.

I am still a little skeptical on Black, I really hope he brings more than just defense. He is still a rookie so he still has time to improve.

People think if they say "The goal is the playoffs or bust" enough times - it'll be true. That's a nice goal, but it's never been publicly broadcast (by anybody that matters) that the season's success is based on that. If it was, there would have already been a trade for a good PG that can shoot. It's pretty simple, trade for Brogdon or similar "gettable vet" and your playoff odds immediately increase...there's definitely no mandate to make the playoffs- it's one of several goals and not the most important one.

There's still a whole lot of evaluation going on...I'd say the Trade Deadline is when stuff is decided as far as who's part of the long term plan in ORL.

[yoyojw17]

Haliburton

3 assists
4 turnovers

Vest to our defense

#success

[Skybox]

The rooks are progressing basically how I envisioned before the season and stated it in posts.

AB will be a connector piece his first year and not ran as a PG full-time, going to have games where he contributes doing the little things as he has already and then some clunkers.

Yeah. I've been wavering about Black being thrown in the fire...but he could use a lot more seasoning . I'm thinking we bring in a legit starting PG this summer (or sooner) and AB backs him up next season for serious minutes next season...maybe even earns the job, dependent on who the new acquisition is and what his age and expected long-term contribution is. Anything significant Black does this year is good...get him out there, but don't necessarily hand him the keys. If Suggs keeps it up, he locks down the starting SG job. Harris is so solid but he could be outgoing as expiring salary (along with Fultz and pick(s)?), so I could see AB/Cole as a nice 2nd line next season.

[ogmagicfan]

I stopped watching in the beginning of the 3rd, so I'm catching up on the posts on the thread and damn can yall never be happy?

B*tching because we dwindled a 40 pt lead in the 4th with our deep deep bench in the gane, like that isn't typically the norm in most games where teams have a huge big lead

This was arguably the most dominant Magic performance this season, but the real time pessimism can be really overwhelming at times. Some of yall need a drink/smoke lol

[bigdogdylan5]

I can't wait to watch the replay. Just the half or third quarter as well?

Definitely half. Third wasn’t bad but Halliburton got it going a bit but still not horrible play. I wouldn’t watch the fourth unless your a masochist

[Residual-Heat]

7 more games until we're almost 1/4th of the way through the season. Good start for the Magic so far, but if we're sitting at top 4/5 in the east 7 games from now.. That is when i will be truly impressed.