Game 32: Orlando Magic (19-12) @ Phoenix Suns (16-15) l Sunday Funday l 8:00pm l BSFL

[drsd]

Box score thoughts:

Orlando lost the FG% battle and lost the game.

Phoenix made 5 more FTs than the Magic, and won by 5.

There is little doubt this was a winnable game; if the TO differential wasn't 15 to 6. Gifting 9 extra possessions. Yuck. Except that was fully made up by dominant rebounding where the Magic had 10 more boards.

As above: the stat lines for the guards was appallingly bad offensively, but I also note this was true defensively. Beal and Allen were super efficient. And Booker had a good game as well.

[ChosenSavior]

I didn't pay attention to the OP and see that we had the opps creating the game thread on our board. No wonder we lost lol j/k

[drsd]

Moving forward, this is the sort of game Orlando needs to win. Making one more three ball and getting to the line one more time, Orlando wins this game.

My thoughts are that it is encouraging that the 2nd quarter and the late 3rd, the Magic clawed their way back from an early hole. A stronger mid-4th, Orlando wins this game even with the slow start.

This is a good educational game for the Magic to learn incremental improvements to win on the road. The needs are clear: make more three point shots OR get to the line more. Either of those two things on offense.

[Furinkazan]

its tme to implement new strategy

[Skybox]

Moving forward, this is the sort of game Orlando needs to win. Making one more three ball and getting to the line one more time, Orlando wins this game.

My thoughts are that it is encouraging that the 2nd quarter and the late 3rd, the Magic clawed their way back from an early hole. A stronger mid-4th, Orlando wins this game even with the slow start.

This is a good educational game for the Magic to learn incremental improvements to win on the road. The needs are clear: make more three point shots OR get to the line more. Either of those two things on offense.

I don’t disagree with your either/or logic, but…

They made the good plays to create good open shots, they took the good open shots…they just missed and missed and missed. It wasn’t any kind of playing style or coaching scheme. They just didn’t make 3’s to a basic functional degree to compete in today’s NBA.

Turnovers etc all matter but they did do enough, in theory, to win - if they had a legit 3 pt threat taking the same shots.

Good shots can be greater than good shooters…that’s why any team Luka is on births a team-wide improvement in 3pt%. Paolo’s style of play should have a similar effect which leads me to believe our pretty good shooters (statistically) actually are terrible…and would be even worse elsewhere. There were good shots missed repeatedly, not well-defended or Ill-advised chucks.

[GameOver25]

its tme to implement new strategy

[Howard Mass]

Like Dante said, The Magic got cold at the end of the game.

It's a shame as this one was winnable on a tough west coast trip.

Going cold it’s too simplistic. They packed the paint on Franz/Paolo because no one else was a threat. No spacing whatsoever.

This too.

The lack of shooting is really hurting this team but they had some good looks.

[yoyojw17]

We lost against the team that prior to the season many chalked up as the best team in the league. They've got three seasoned vets.... two of which are some of the best offensive weapons in the entire league.... and we lost by 4 points with key players still injured and few players playing... below average.

The game was winnable.... sucks to have lost but... good job watching Franz and Paolo continuing to grow ... and happy to see Wendell doing a lil better.

[drsd]

Suggs made the good plays to create good open shots, Suggs took the good open shots…Suggs just missed and missed and missed.

Fixed.

Watching Suggs miss 3 pointer after 3 pointer in the 4th was painful.

[j_n]

Read on Twitter

TBF, he did kinda say Vuc was one of the best Cs in the league right?

He was praising Mo Harkless back in the day

[RookieStar]

I didn't pay attention to the OP and see that we had the opps creating the game thread on our board. No wonder we lost lol j/k

I always said we just blame knightro for this loss

[Skybox]

Suggs made the good plays to create good open shots, Suggs took the good open shots…Suggs just missed and missed and missed.

Fixed.

Watching Suggs miss 3 pointer after 3 pointer in the 4th was painful.

There isn't a reliable, aggressive 3pt shooter on the team. Franz is probably the most legit threat to have a big shooting night and he's no sniper this season. No need to fix...I wasn't blaming Suggs or defending him...the entire backcourt was an offensive debacle and usually is. They can all play world-class defense and dive for loose balls all night - and still lose.

[KillMonger]

I guess the only Silver Lining from this game is the fact that if we didn't beat ourselves we would have beaten a full strength Phoenix team.... Not by luck either , we would have beaten them playing how we always play......problem is the turnovers and the missed wide open shots and the missed free throws.... Always the problem

Sent from the phone in my hands

[JoshuaPotter]

It is fun basketball to watch even if it doesn't lead to wins.

I have been giving the 3pt shooting a pass this year vs last year because our starting backcourt is Suggs + Black who aren't known for their shooting at all and wanting to see if Suggs + Black is worth the investment.

We have had a lot of fun with watching some of these games. Other games, it obvious that if we shot NBA average from 3-ball we would win. I think we are underselling our defensive impact of our rotational players if all agree we just need 3pt shooting.

Out of our entire roster. The thing I am most disappointment with is Franz 3-ball being lost. Irony being how well he is playing in every other measurable way. It just compounds are biggest problems when both Franz + Paulo rely so heavily on attacking the basket.