Cavaliers vs Magic Series General Discussion Thread

[Black and Blue]

lol Verrier and Wos were really dancing on our graves in their pod they enjoyed it way too much.

So was colin cowherd. The disrespect is wild.

If Cowherd was dancing on our graves, that means we should win this series.

Seriously, that guy has maybe the worst predictions and takes I’ve ever seen in sports media. It would be hard to intentionally try to be as wrong as he has been over the years.

[bigdogdylan5]

lol Verrier and Wos were really dancing on our graves in their pod they enjoyed it way too much.

So was colin cowherd. The disrespect is wild.

Cowherd hates all small markets. Think they are useless and don’t give him content

[Ducklett]

lol Verrier and Wos were really dancing on our graves in their pod they enjoyed it way too much.

So was colin cowherd. The disrespect is wild.

Cowherd hates all small markets. Think they are useless and don’t give him content

It is a shame because a long time ago he was fun to watch on Sportsnation and then he decided he was a bigger pull than small market teams and became to loser blowhard he is today. The only talking head left that seems to respect the smaller teams is that Wildes guy on First Things First. Plus he is fricken funny. The rode him all last year for picking the Magic to be in the playoffs with Rookie of the Year Paolo (he got that part right).

[Audi]

I cant wait to see who you will defend next to be completely wrong again. I admire your resilience becouse you died on that hill.
Its so natural that young people dont look up to older, more experienced people. You know human nature so well, propably thats why your projections are so accurate

Yes, I admit I did not foresee Fultz's injuries causing regression to the extent that is has.

No amount of me being wrong covers for the absolute absurdity in your belief that Franz is so mentally weak that Fultz has mentored him into his 3pt % plummeting. I guess Franz didn't get the memo that he picked the wrong older, more experienced player to control his mind - should've gone with Jingles!

Never said its all Fultz fault dont be so dramatic. I am glad you used the term mentor, becouse veteran mentor is exactly what i am talking about. Fultz was the longest tenured veteran here, and starting point guard at the beginning of the season. Dont tell me he had no impact on Franz, and if you think he had no impact dont you think its as bad ?
Ingles actually had positive impact on our bench, and players like Cole rallied around him. He also talked to Suggs on every other timeout, but he couldnt speak with everybody, Jalen needed it more.
In the end its Franz problem to deal with but i would rather surround him with players who can help him with confidence not players who in the best case scenario are having no impact. You dont agree with me?

Of course Fultz had an impact on Franz, he had an impact on everyone in the locker room, and it was by what we've seen from sources - a positive one. He's just that type of teammate and it's something we've heard time and time again about him.

But it's not some sort of magical ability that influences Franz's or anyone else on the team's shooting. Franz isn't so weak minded that his teammate having a 'mental meltdown' over the course of an injury plagued season is going to make him lose confidence in his own ability to shoot. Unless Fultz is his shooting coach, Franz having shooting issues is of his own doing. Unless he's on the court with him, Fultz has just as little to do with Franz's shooting as his parents/girlfriend/random fan at home does.

Now, if we are talking actual on floor influence, sure. Any player can influence another player's shooting (both good and bad), depending on situation while they are sharing the court. But I don't think that's what we are talking about here.

[SOUL]

lol Verrier and Wos were really dancing on our graves in their pod they enjoyed it way too much.

"Sometimes you get Wemby, sometimes you get Paolo" - Wos

"Is it time to have a discussion about Banchero?" - Verrier after game 1 (a solid game outside of turnovers)

Definitely no agendas with them

[eyriq]

lol Verrier and Wos were really dancing on our graves in their pod they enjoyed it way too much.

"Sometimes you get Wemby, sometimes you get Paolo" - Wos

"Is it time to have a discussion about Banchero?" - Verrier after game 1 (a solid game outside of turnovers)

Definitely no agendas with them

It makes too much sense now that I know those two clowns are associated

[bigdogdylan5]

Harris **** made one!

[RichCollab]

WCJ needs a gut check. He needs to step up.

I don’t even know what to say about Cole.

Fultz is done. I see below zero value in any minutes.

[eyriq]

Why is Cole so bad?

[Blue_and_Whte]

You kidding, right? We scored 83 points on 86 shots & 32% FG on a team who isn't even top 10 defense

Yes, he most definitely WAS kidding!

Banchero is showing he's not, as of today, a point forward. He might be in the future, but he'd be much better letting someone else set the table for him. Let him find his spots and feed him there. Would up his efficiency massively. With Isaac in the starting lineup as a quasi-C, all we really need is a pnr initiator who has worth off-ball and can defend a bit. One guy would really transform this team.

Sign a shooter who can also swing the ball a little as a heavy-minute rotation guy (Bogdanovic type). Absolutely not Klay Thompson.

I don't see any other path. You could double down on Paolo as a point, but you need more offense than signing a wing shooter will give you, so you'd have to sign a KAT or AD type center and that feels like a lot of bodies in the paint, if Franz main value continues to be as a cutter/driver.

I cant let p0peye be the most sarcastic poster on the board

Lets be honest Paolo struggles with 3 good shooters (GHarris, Suggs, JI), and 1 potentially good shooter in Franz. There wont be much more space even with Klay or Hield.

Yeah I don’t agree with this. You’re comparing guys who can hit the occasional open three with guys who are snipers (Although I personally think Klay is washed). Teams will react much more differently to guys like Klay & Heild than Suggs, JI, and Harris.

We all knew Cleveland would pack the paint with their size but damn I thought we’d play with more energy and effort.

[thelead]

Why is Cole so bad?

Through 2 games:

28 minutes, 4 points, 0-11 from the field, 0-5 from deep, 15.7% TS%.

[eyriq]

Why is Cole so bad?

Through 2 games:

28 minutes, 4 points, 0-11 from the field, 0-5 from deep, 15.7% TS%.

Good Lord my eyes!!!

[pepe1991]

Why is Cole so bad?

Imo, and again, it's just my opinion, we play, look and behave ( and fans overreact ) in same fashion Bulls played 2013-14 season without Rose.
They won 48 games mostly by playing playoff defense in regular season ( they were 2# defense, 2# worst offense).
But once playoffs started, and opponents matched that energy, with increase of hustle plays, more focus on defense, they were simply expose to reality of having not enough offense nor offensive weapons (along with not very good offensive coach).
There are even some similarities to that roster like DJ Augustin = Cole, Noah = Wendell+Isaac , Gipson = Mortiz Wagner,Dunleavy = G. Harris+ Ingles. In short, that roster, after winning near 50 games ,lost to Wizards ( Wall+ Beal = Mitchell + Garland? ) in short 5 games.



As you can see, Bulls scored 100 points- once, and that's a game they won.


Now back to present day, 10 years later. Why Cole is so bad?
It's not just Cole.
You have Jonathan Isaac playing his Raptors series again, his impact on defense is indeed- impactful, but nowhere near as it felt in regular season. In mean time he shoots 26% FG on 6 points a game.
Suggs 10% for 3 ( 1-10) on 28% FG overall.
Franz 18 points on 38% FG, 5 assists on 6 turnovers total.
Banchero 3-11 for 3 ( 27%) 15 turnovers on 8 assists.

As you mentioned, Cole Anthony 0-11 FG.


What happened? My best answer is - nothing?!

We just are now being scouted & teams prepare just for us. They know we have no playmaker in sight, they know we will have burts of energy where our defense will be firing, but if they can survive several min of our "uber defense" by just slowing our scoring in that period, we will probably get tired at some point. It happend to both Lakers and 76ers today, where ultra agressive defense just exhausted players ( Davis in particular). It happend to us (and Cavs) as well, in 4th quaters teams were blowing layups and FTs like crazy.


It's a good learning experience. I assume role players will play better at home. That said, will Cavs role players continue to suck?
Strus 2-10 for 3, Niang 1-11 FG, Levert 5-15


As for adjustments, maybe start Goga just to bring Isaac off bench , starting 3 bigs sounds like suicide to me, Mitchell blew by Paolo several times last night.

Biggest adjustment is how to guard Allen better. Guy is destroying us. 9 offensive rebounds.

[penny_nz]

Legit worried we won't break the 90pt mark in this series. We've known all season our offense and offensive personnel are limited, playoff ball is showing just how much that's the case.

[Redwood]

Why is Cole so bad?

My opinion is that Cole is not an NBA basketball player. When you can only do one thing, score, you need to do it very consistently. He doesn't, and considering he offers absolutely nothing else to the team this makes him a very bad player. If his shot isn't falling he's, by far, the worst player on the court regardless of who we're playing. I feel like he's possibly the most overrated Magic player of all time, and I sincerely mean that. He just isn't any good, at all, and never has been, but some Magic fans talk about him (or used to) like he's some kind of asset. I've always been confused by that. As a writer for ESPN once put it (I despise everything about ESPN but in this case they were correct), Cole is the most irrationally confident shooter in the league. He's just nowhere near as good as he thinks he is and never will be.

I'm 100 percent serious when I say that Caitlin Clark would offer more to this team than Cole Anthony does, that's how bad he is.

[Husky1]

Why is Cole so bad?

My opinion is that Cole is not an NBA basketball player. When you can only do one thing, score, you need to do it very consistently. He doesn't, and considering he offers absolutely nothing else to the team this makes him a very bad player. If his shot isn't falling he's, by far, the worst player on the court regardless of who we're playing. I feel like he's possibly the most overrated Magic player of all time, and I sincerely mean that. He just isn't any good, at all, and never has been, but some Magic fans talk about him (or used to) like he's some kind of asset. I've always been confused by that. As a writer for ESPN once put it (I despise everything about ESPN but in this case they were correct), Cole is the most irrationally confident shooter in the league. He's just nowhere near as good as he thinks he is and never will be.

I'm 100 percent serious when I say that Caitlin Clark would offer more to this team than Cole Anthony does, that's how bad he is.

yep ur 100% spot on. He's been a tough watch for a while, and the fans love him. Just impossible to play winning basketball in playoffs with him. His and Wendells contracts are talked about as bargains. Basically 25 million salary tied up to those two next year, that is brutal. Wendell is a shell of himself, like Cole he hinders us more than helps.

[fendilim]

Why is Cole so bad?

Imo, and again, it's just my opinion, we play, look and behave ( and fans overreact ) in same fashion Bulls played 2013-14 season without Rose.
They won 48 games mostly by playing playoff defense in regular season ( they were 2# defense, 2# worst offense).
But once playoffs started, and opponents matched that energy, with increase of hustle plays, more focus on defense, they were simply expose to reality of having not enough offense nor offensive weapons (along with not very good offensive coach).
There are even some similarities to that roster like DJ Augustin = Cole, Noah = Wendell+Isaac , Gipson = Mortiz Wagner,Dunleavy = G. Harris+ Ingles. In short, that roster, after winning near 50 games ,lost to Wizards ( Wall+ Beal = Mitchell + Garland? ) in short 5 games.



As you can see, Bulls scored 100 points- once, and that's a game they won.


Now back to present day, 10 years later. Why Cole is so bad?
It's not just Cole.
You have Jonathan Isaac playing his Raptors series again, his impact on defense is indeed- impactful, but nowhere near as it felt in regular season. In mean time he shoots 26% FG on 6 points a game.
Suggs 10% for 3 ( 1-10) on 28% FG overall.
Franz 18 points on 38% FG, 5 assists on 6 turnovers total.
Banchero 3-11 for 3 ( 27%) 15 turnovers on 8 assists.

As you mentioned, Cole Anthony 0-11 FG.


What happened? My best answer is - nothing?!

We just are now being scouted & teams prepare just for us. They know we have no playmaker in sight, they know we will have burts of energy where our defense will be firing, but if they can survive several min of our "uber defense" by just slowing our scoring in that period, we will probably get tired at some point. It happend to both Lakers and 76ers today, where ultra agressive defense just exhausted players ( Davis in particular). It happend to us (and Cavs) as well, in 4th quaters teams were blowing layups and FTs like crazy.


It's a good learning experience. I assume role players will play better at home. That said, will Cavs role players continue to suck?
Strus 2-10 for 3, Niang 1-11 FG, Levert 5-15


As for adjustments, maybe start Goga just to bring Isaac off bench , starting 3 bigs sounds like suicide to me, Mitchell blew by Paolo several times last night.

Biggest adjustment is how to guard Allen better. Guy is destroying us. 9 offensive rebounds.

Definitely agree with this. We’re still lucky with the Cavs role players being cold.

Honestly, we need to play more physical. Last year, the Cavs struggled against the really physical Knicks.

Our team played at maximum energy the whole season. While other teams were just pacing their way and preparing for the playoffs. Now that they’ve turned to 2nd gear, its time for us to show that we have that second gear.

[drsd]

Managment is learning a great deal in these games.

For one: the Magic is not particularly talented defensively man-to-man, but it is clear that Mosley's schemes work very well in team defense. Thus: any bum-defender should be OK on this roster.

Second: the Magic has no shooting at all.

Sum up, Management is learning an important lesson about the types of roster changes that are required in the off-season. Let me give a hint: G-Harris, Okeke, and Fultz all need to be replaced by players that can shoot from distance. That tiny, little change would make this a more competitive team. If it takes trade packages of Ingles, Black and/or Howard with picks to get there, fine.

[p0peye]

Managment is learning a great deal in these games.

For one: the Magic is not particularly talented defensively man-to-man, but it is clear that Mosley's schemes work very well in team defense. Thus: any bum-defender should be OK on this roster.

Second: the Magic has no shooting at all.

Sum up, Management is learning an important lesson about the types of roster changes that are required in the off-season. Let me give a hint: G-Harris, Okeke, and Fultz all need to be replaced by players that can shoot from distance. That tiny, little change would make this a more competitive team. If it takes trade packages of Ingles, Black and/or Howard with picks to get there, fine.

I beg to differ, management is not a bunch of casuals experiencing playoffs for the first time and watching in awe. Issues we see offensively have been very visible in regular season too.

Not sure if this series is a conclusive proof that we can sneak 'bum-defenders', I am pretty sure against Denver or Boston we'd pay the price - but if that happens in later rounds, I do not care!

[axl_c_cool]

Our shooting has been bad, there are a lot of positives to take though that are easy to miss because we all want to win.

The defence has been elite at times and brought us back into games

Suggs is a beast. Not just defensively, but his effort alone makes us better offensively, let alone his shooting (this season not series).

Paulo and Franz are playing through, improving, and still performing in the playoffs and in a playoff atmosphere

The team has a great culture and play for each other on and off the court. That’s massive, especially because it seems some of our other rebuilds flopped because of players competing against each other.


Game 3 and 4 should be different, home games, where we are a lot better, and with a home crowd. We’ll get at least 1 game.

We are so young, we have 3-5 players who are our core, we need to add shooting, a PG, and another forward. This team will grow together and compete. How many wins were we predicted? It’s been a good season!