2024-2025 Regular Season Game 49: Orlando Magic (24-24) at Portland Trail Blazers (18-29) - 10pm

[MartinsIzAfraud]

This is brutal

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Good, Cole said it. STEP UP.

Dog Wendell wouldn’t take a WIDE OPEN 13 foot jumper. HOLY **** he’s cooked

[VFX]

This is brutal

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Get Carter off this team. Jesus Christ.

[OrlChamps2030]

I know people are watching these games.

Unless you absolutely are NOT and your main takeaway from watching this team’s offense is “wE nEeD mOaR sHoOtiNg” , then you don’t understand what the actual problem is with this roster.

Actually, you have about as good of an understanding as the current FO does in drafting Jett Howard, signing KCP, retaining Gary Harris, etc. You are watching box scores and throwing out 3pt % like you know wtf you are talking about. A lot of you are outing yourselves for not watching these games.

Shooting is an ancillary issue. They are not hitting shots because the offense is one dimensional. Orlando does not run plays. They hand the ball to Paolo or Franz and everyone gets out of the way. Yeah, teams are going to figure that out. They can plan against it. It’s mid-brained nonsense. That’s a bigger issue than signing another shooter and calling it a day.

For the millionth time… the problem is how Paolo and Franz are being utilized offensively. No action is run for either of these guys to get easy baskets. Everything is iso downhill. There is no point guard on this roster to make things easier for them.

I brought this issue up 5 games into the season when everything appeared to be clicking. This is a roster construction and coaching issue. Not directly a shooting issue. Shooting 3’s will become more efficient when the offense isn’t one dimensional and predictable. It doesn’t matter how talented Paolo and Franz are if they never get good looks at the basket.

Paolo and Franz were 18-40 tonight and the first 5 out had a combined 6 assists and 7 turnovers for the entire game. That tells me nothing is being run and if it is it’s being run poorly. You cannot lean on those two guys to be your primary playmakers/distributors with the ball. Period. They are your scorers that can do those things in a pinch.

Fun fact. I am cheap and listen to the games all the time followed by the highlights.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see what you are saying. I could "hear it" in Paolo rookie year. If anything, Mo injury hurt Franz distribution as pairing them together caused those two to click and move the ball around.

AB is a great player at least in terms of skillset and IQ but mindset is officially a concern with him.

Gary Harris 2.0 I mean KCP + Gary were woeful, but even I can't blame them if they there is no offensive scheme.

We are copying Denver in terms of having a ball dominant F and Paolo just isn't that player right now either. So losses will happen.

Cole, I just don't get it, he was never great, but due to lack of scoring off the bench just isn't Moe level of efficiency on offense.

The rough part in all this? I ain't even mad at the players themselves per se. This team is having its worst performance because the glue pieces are injured.

Dude.. AB is a great player?

No.. just no..

[89Magicfan]

Consensus time, and i'm actually curious about how people feel about this.....what percentage would you put on the coach being culpable for our play recently?

Zero

This roster needs a legit starting, good quality PG.We’ve needed that for some time. AB isn’t it. Suggs is a SG. KCP isn’t it. Cole is to inconsistent.

This is all on our FO.

[JoshuaPotter]

I know people are watching these games.

Unless you absolutely are NOT and your main takeaway from watching this team’s offense is “wE nEeD mOaR sHoOtiNg” , then you don’t understand what the actual problem is with this roster.

Actually, you have about as good of an understanding as the current FO does in drafting Jett Howard, signing KCP, retaining Gary Harris, etc. You are watching box scores and throwing out 3pt % like you know wtf you are talking about. A lot of you are outing yourselves for not watching these games.

Shooting is an ancillary issue. They are not hitting shots because the offense is one dimensional. Orlando does not run plays. They hand the ball to Paolo or Franz and everyone gets out of the way. Yeah, teams are going to figure that out. They can plan against it. It’s mid-brained nonsense. That’s a bigger issue than signing another shooter and calling it a day.

For the millionth time… the problem is how Paolo and Franz are being utilized offensively. No action is run for either of these guys to get easy baskets. Everything is iso downhill. There is no point guard on this roster to make things easier for them.

I brought this issue up 5 games into the season when everything appeared to be clicking. This is a roster construction and coaching issue. Not directly a shooting issue. Shooting 3’s will become more efficient when the offense isn’t one dimensional and predictable. It doesn’t matter how talented Paolo and Franz are if they never get good looks at the basket.

Paolo and Franz were 18-40 tonight and the first 5 out had a combined 6 assists and 7 turnovers for the entire game. That tells me nothing is being run and if it is it’s being run poorly. You cannot lean on those two guys to be your primary playmakers/distributors with the ball. Period. They are your scorers that can do those things in a pinch.

Fun fact. I am cheap and listen to the games all the time followed by the highlights.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see what you are saying. I could "hear it" in Paolo rookie year. If anything, Mo injury hurt Franz distribution as pairing them together caused those two to click and move the ball around.

AB is a great player at least in terms of skillset and IQ but mindset is officially a concern with him.

Gary Harris 2.0 I mean KCP + Gary were woeful, but even I can't blame them if they there is no offensive scheme.

We are copying Denver in terms of having a ball dominant F and Paolo just isn't that player right now either. So losses will happen.

Cole, I just don't get it, he was never great, but due to lack of scoring off the bench just isn't Moe level of efficiency on offense.

The rough part in all this? I ain't even mad at the players themselves per se. This team is having its worst performance because the glue pieces are injured.

Dude.. AB is a great player?

No.. just no..

Yes, just yes.

Re-read what I said. I didn't say he was Paolo or Franz. Nor did I compare him to any specific player on his team, because IMHO he belongs in his own tier.

Not to compare, but I would say TDS is a great player too, I think he could settle into a Mo type role.

[GameOver25]

The lack of aggression from AB is such a red flag

Trade bait.

Please can we stop talking about aggression. The reason AB looks like he looks is lack of skills/shooting and lack of speed. He looks good when the defense gives him opportunities like fastbreak, unsettled defense, open lanes, overhelping.... As soon as he gets defended normal he got no tools to counter that.

I agree with you. So basically he just needs to accept stats like below? He's had moments of aggression. Tonight he looked like he's ready to make a career in China. Absolutely no reason for someone who was picked 6th to be playing the way he does, especially if he wants to be part of this teams future.

19 mins 0-3 FG 0-1 3P 0-0 FT

[JF5]

This one was more on the defence than the offense IMO, sure the offense was bad, but we never had a chance defending the way we did. Goga didn't look himself at all, I don't know if it was the concussion effect or what, but he looks lost on both ends all game long. The others weren't much better on this end, only Isaac in the fourth made some good plays, but it was too little too late.

But of course, the offense is also a big issue. I am becoming a broken record, but it's baffling that we continue to play so slow on that end. We almost never push the ball in semi-transition and we waste so much time on many possessions with handoffs that don't go anywhere. Cole has actually been better lately as a playmaker, but if he is your best passer and creator among your guards, your offense is likely to be bad. Paolo and Franz are ISOing too much and Paolo in particular is taking too many low efficiency shots. But they have their work cut out for them due to the poor shooting of their teammates, KCP being unable to hit corner 3s to the point where he is becoming reluctant to take them even when he is open makes it much easier for the opponents to defend Paolo and Franz's drives, and when he play alongside Black who is even more reluctant to shoot 3s, it makes it even harder. And then there is Wendell, of course, nobody even pretends to defend him at the 3 point line anymore, and why would they, he can't make a 3 to save his life this year. The lack of players who can create for themselves is also an issue, even a tanking team like Portland has quite a few more of these guys than we don.

The 3 point shot since Paolo/Franz has come back looks like it can be a threat. As there have been multiple games already where it looked pretty good/reliable. Just an inconsistency issue.

I think the 2 problems are clearly spacing and the lack of chemistry.

1. Spacing you can't put Goga and Black together on the court with Paolo and Franz. 4 guys who can't shoot 3s makes it so much easier to defend. That's why I never understood people wanted this lineup. 2 of these guys don't do anything offensively and it puts pressure on Paolo and Franz to score.

2. Chemistry... These games in the last few weeks has been the first time that a lot of these guys have played together all season. People are coming in and out of the lineups and it makes it hard to have the same continuity like you did last year. Players need to get back I'm shape and on the same page. Then you'll see winning. Right now there is just too much uncertainty on both ends of the court.

A centre who doesn't shoot 3 but is a significant lob threat and a dominant offensive rebounder like Goga is isn't really a problem spacing wise. He had a poor game last night but for this year he has the highest offensive rating on the team and last year our offense was better when he played compared to when Wendell played, and that was before Wendell forgot how to shoot. The guards are the real issue IMO, all of them are shooting poorly this year and they aren't doing much playmaking either. KCP's 3 pointer has completely abandoned him and outside of this he is a very limited offensive player. Suggs is turnover prone, not really a playmaker and his 3 point shooting has been poor this year too. Black has potential as a playmaker, but there are too many games he is content to just float around on offense and his poor shooting from 3 is always a problem and even when he is more aggressive, it's just very hard to be a good playmaker in the NBA if you aren't much of a threat to score. Cole has improved lately but he is still shooting 31% from 3 and has a ghastly 50.2 TS% for the season, his playmaking is pretty limited and he is prone to taking pretty bad shots. Etc., etc.

I'm saying in general 4 guys who don't shoot the 3 ball well with 2 of them not even attempting anything at all restricts the offensive flow.

You're able to put Suggs in to replace Black of course it makes things easier. But as of right now plugging in this lineup for long stretches won't work long term.

Wendell has regressed and (I honestly would like a replacement C who does what he does defensively whilst still stretching the floor.) Makes more sense with Paolo and Franz compared to Goga.

Teams will just not even attempt to guard Goga and immediately double Paolo in the post because Goga is not an offensive threat at all. He gets his points off offensive rebounds and lobs. And he's unable to get/do any of that if the paint is packed from the non shooting already.

[drsd]

Magic should open the pocket book to get some real shooters like Grayson Allen or that white guy on Boston. Guys that you straight up cannot leave or help off of.

KCP's numbers are down across the board.

The media is starting to suggest Anthony and draft-asset(s) trades for Allen. Heck, I would even consider trading our Caldwell-Pope somewhere for a backup SF, and offer Allen starting minutes.

[89Magicfan]

Magic should open the pocket book to get some real shooters like Grayson Allen or that white guy on Boston. Guys that you straight up cannot leave or help off of.

KCP's numbers are down across the board.

The media is starting to suggest Anthony and draft-asset(s) trades for Allen. Heck, I would even consider trading our Caldwell-Pope somewhere for a backup SF, and offer Allen starting minutes.

It’s not the worse idea if you can keep Allen from being a detriment to the team. I just don’t think that’s a fix that immediately helps with our glaring issue of not just shooting but play making.

[The-Stallion70]

Magic should open the pocket book to get some real shooters like Grayson Allen or that white guy on Boston. Guys that you straight up cannot leave or help off of.

KCP's numbers are down across the board.

The media is starting to suggest Anthony and draft-asset(s) trades for Allen. Heck, I would even consider trading our Caldwell-Pope somewhere for a backup SF, and offer Allen starting minutes.

I'm for it, I'm tired of us trying to convince ourselves that Black is giving us spacing just because he makes a shot every now and then.

[SloNick Russia]

David shoul check TDS on those 0 point games averages, for a regular rotaion player he has way too many those 0 point games. Must be anything.

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[eyriq]

Magic should open the pocket book to get some real shooters like Grayson Allen or that white guy on Boston. Guys that you straight up cannot leave or help off of.

KCP's numbers are down across the board.

The media is starting to suggest Anthony and draft-asset(s) trades for Allen. Heck, I would even consider trading our Caldwell-Pope somewhere for a backup SF, and offer Allen starting minutes.

I'm for it, I'm tired of us trying to convince ourselves that Black is giving us spacing just because he makes a shot every now and then.

They are talking about Cole Anthony. Trading Anthony Black for Grayson Allen would be the worst trade in history

[basketballRob]

The media is starting to suggest Anthony and draft-asset(s) trades for Allen. Heck, I would even consider trading our Caldwell-Pope somewhere for a backup SF, and offer Allen starting minutes.

I'm for it, I'm tired of us trying to convince ourselves that Black is giving us spacing just because he makes a shot every now and then.

They are talking about Cole Anthony. Trading Anthony Black for Grayson Allen would be the worst trade in history

Black missed a few 3s last month and has been a little hesitant to shoot 3s. Now he had a couple of shots blocked, and he's afraid to drive to the basket. I think it's 90% mental with Black.

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[doct3r dr3]

This season has certainly had some high highs and some low lows.