2024-2025 Regular Season Game 46: Portland Trail Blazers (15-28) at Orlando Magic (23-22) - 7pm

[thelead]

I know the focus is understandably on the offense, but the Magic were No. 3 in DRTG at 106.4 when Suggs got injured.

Since then they're 18th in DRTG at 114.3.

The offense was bad either way, it's gotten slightly worse, but the defense has just fallen off the cliff in January.

That guys doesn't make a difference says one of our mods...

[Bensational]

79 points…

[Ducklett]

I wonder what we could get for Franz and Paolo!

[SOUL]

We just can't produce offense right now.
Our shooting is historically bad, or at least we are headed in that direction, and we don't score enough in general.

Losing Moe Wagner was big deal, we just lack offensive players. Watching Isaac tonight is pure pain. Guy is C who can't shoot to save his life but stays on perimeter every possession. Feels like watching Bamba

Somehow watching Isaac brick threes and take ill-advised shots is 10x more easier to stomach than Wendell running around with his head cut off.

[Optimus_Steel]

It was nice while it lasted but this is probably what should of happened when all those injuries happened. This team is broken.

[SOUL]

This is probably good fuel for a red hot redwood take

The team only shot 25 threes, 5 less than any team is averaging this year, so there shouldn't be much to complain about! We just have no consistent players on offensive right now and our defense looks worse.

[Knightro]

Unquestionably the worst game of Paolo's career. He absolutely sucked.

[RookieStar]

I was told that we just needed Paolo and Franz back...

Moving goalposts. We need Suggs... then we need Goga...

So we can't beat a bad team without our 3rd string center and Suggs? Because let's be honest, the plan wasn't for Goga to play much. WCJ was paid to be the starter. Weltman has built a flawed team. There are many holes to fill.

Yup... we need excuses....

Seriously though, WCJ has really sucked all season long.

[Idiosyncratic]

So many hot takes

I mean, I've been saying for a while that we need more efficient offense. How often have I blasted Paolo's efficiency over the years now? The level of effort that we play on D is unsustainable for 82 games + the playoffs. We needed to see improvement on offense this year and it has gone in the wrong direction. We are 29th in Offensive rating this year...

I don't think that's a hot take. Everyone knows we need offense. I surely do, my disagreement is usually about trading the picks right now for it, I can wait. I get that opinion though.

More so talking the we can't win without X player based off of a small stretch. I hate single player analysis like that, too many factors. Half the team may have the flu and/or getting conditioned from an injury or are hurt, it sucks, but is what it is. I agree with most of the needs people say we have, I'm just more patient I guess.

[ogmagicfan]

we have overperformed the past couple seasons, the FO chose to sit on their hands over building on our weaknesses

FVV made so much sense, and we had the FA cap space. Instead the Rockets signed him and they were worse than us

Now the Rockets are #2 seed in the West at 29-14 and we're stuck around .500

Inexcusable

FVV kinda sucks and they are offering him to teams at the deadline. They have the best coach in the NBA currently, that is why they are the number 2 seed.

I havent heard much buzz about FVV in trade rumors

He was 2nd in BPM for their team last season (3.4), is a good player on both sides and is a volume 3 pt shooter. Also has one of the highest assist/TO ratios in the NBA past 5+ years

He also starts seasons slow, his numbers are gonna look better by season end.

[thelead]

In a weird sort of way, I'm kinda glad we keep losing. Maybe Weltman will wake up.

[MasterGMer]

Hard to take. A winnable game especially when Franz scored 20 points in his first game back. Paolo was 1 for 14? Oh my goodness. Wendell played a bad game also. Losing recipe.

But the blessing in disguise is we finally get both Paolo and Franz back. Lots to regroup, Magic team!

[Audi]

Adjustment was expected with Franz returning as that’s a major key changing the look and play style, but even POR was surprised at how bad this went.

[FFBlitzace]

It's a shame because we still haven't even really seen what our team is. Ok, Paolo and Franz are "back." But Paolo just played one of the worst games of his career and obviously isn't totally back in rhythm yet. Franz literally just returned tonight and will be going through that same process. Still no Suggs or Goga. Not even Cole or Gary, who can sometimes help. I don't feel like it's moving the goalposts when things remain in flux and rotation players are still out.

None of that excuses the extreme performances we've had to witness. Tonight was pathetic, and that's not just dramatic hyperbole. 79 points at home against a bad team, 34% shooting, 6-25 from three, missed ten FTs, 19 turnovers. Just horrendous. But even with all that said, you can understand how we got here. But at this point, despite already putting in a ton of effort and stepping up already, they have to put the big boy pants back on again, stop feeling sorry for themselves (because the rest of the NBA doesn't), and get back to work. Pick themselves up by the bootstraps, like good boomers. It's clichés but it is what it is.

[ORLMagicGirl15]

I wonder what we could get for Franz and Paolo!

Probably someone who can defend but cannot shoot.

[MasterGMer]

Update on Jalen Suggs and Goga?

[byeganyo]

So Orlando is 4-11 and 28th in the league in the last 15 games, only Washington and Brooklyn are worse.

[basketballRob]

Update on Jalen Suggs and Goga?

I think they are both practicing.

Sent from my SM-G781U using RealGM mobile app

[RookieStar]

When Paolo didnt get his calls... its like he deflated or somwthing.

Still its the same with the Bucks and Nuggets injuroes earlier. When they got them back it took quite a few games before they started clicking again.

[magik9113]

I blame it all on Wendell being incapable