2024-2025 Regular Season Game 60: Cleveland Cavaliers (47-10) at Orlando Magic (29-30) - 7:30pm

[Blue_and_Whte]

We’ll see what they do in the off season but basically I’ve lost all faith in the front office and expect them to do nothing. At this point I’ve entered apathy. We’re beating a dead horse here but the weaknesses are obvious and they’re just too scared to make any moves even if it’s a moderate risk. That’s not sustainable.
Even if we win games it’s not going to change anything. The Play-in the Playoffs… None of it matters. We’re not going anywhere with this roster

[jezzerinho]

Cavs went to offseason, got new coach, fixed offense, had Jerome and Wade returning healthy, mid season added Hunter.

Magic lost in first round and went home happy.

That is core difference. Losing is okey to Weltman. Guy has .400 win rate after 8 years and makes no moves.
Mediocrity is equal championship in his world.

Because other teams will deal with the Cavs and nobody wants to deal with the smartest-nerd-in-the-room Weltman.

[rcklsscognition]

Stan strung some coherent thoughts together on the broadcast over a couple quarters that when put together back to back make a lot of sense.

The Magic lost the highest bench producing player in the league and 6th man of the year candidate and did absolutely nothing. Meanwhile the Cavs were in first place and moved two of their featured guys for a player who was leading the league in bench scoring or something like that.

We simply have a risk averse incompetent front office and ownership and are at risk yet again of losing generational talent and an opportunity to win the championship.

[drsd]

Boxscore thoughts:

Obviously the Magic lost the FG% battle. But it's actually quite interesting to note that the Cavs made 14 more threes than the Magic.
As 14X3=42, those extra threes is literally the difference to the 40-point loss.

Other boxscore interests.
1) 14 Magicians played and ALL had a negative plus/minus scoring lines.
2) Garry "Zombie" Harris had another zero-pointer running up some impressive anomalies
. a) an "impressive" run of 7-zeros over the last 10 games.
. b) in 30 games played, he's scored zero 14 times.
. c) in game-1 he had 18 points, in the subsequent 29 games he is averaging 2.7ppg (with only one other double digit game).
. c-2: here's the individual scoring lines sorted low to high: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 11 18.

[Husky1]

I have seen anything like how our fan base is right now. It’s getting spicy.

[Husky1]

I would fire Weltman now. If he isnt on the hot seat after this month than that is VERY concerning. But one of the worse situations for a team is a desperate GM/president. They can make a trade that hurts our future because they know if this doesnt work out, theyre gone anyway so they dont care.

This.

[Optimus_Steel]

Not addressing the shooting for so long and building the perfect anti-roster for both your stars.

The idea of playing without a PG and almost without any Ballhandler in the backcourt, despite even much better passer like Lebron and Luka had Allstar PG next to them most of the time. Same for the Celtics duo.

Creating the worst shooting and worst ball handling backcourt / roster in the whole leaque and maybe the worst of the shooting era.

This is easily the worst shooting team in the 3pt era and one of the worst in league history. You have bad teams that have multiple guys off the bench that can come in a hit multiple 3s in minutes. We have none. We have no PG in the roster. There are no ball handlers other than the 2 stars.


The shooting and guard failure is the biggest indictment for Weltman’s failure but really its on greasy hair Martins who hired him and ownership who lets him brownnose with no repercussions. Martins tenure has essentially been the worst scoring team in almost a decade and half and now they top it off being by far the worst 3pt shooting team in an era where its all about the 3pt shot. The % gap between 30th and 29th is laughable and embarrassing, a full 3%. The Devos family please sell the team, make your money and move on. If not I’m moving on.

[Skybox]

Paolo's presser was fascinating. Said they can't just keep talking about things changing and actually need to change things.

Yeah?

What could he possibly be talking about?

The trade deadline is over. What could they change at this point? His shot selection could be a welcome change maybe.

How about other players taking and making shots so he doesn’t feel like he has to take every shot.

Seriously, the box score looks like a graveyard after F&P. Embarrassingly so…nearly every night. Mose clearly not a Goga supporter long-term. KCP at $22m is a bust…he’s basically an older Okoro (who CLE was stingy with).

[Skybox]

Offense is horrible. Depending on Harris, Cole, JI, and WCJ. Add in KCP and Corey. It sucks.

Our vets have been disappointing.

Please get rid of Jett and Caleb.

8 players who wouldn’t be missed.

AB and TDS aren’t safe and should be on the table for pieces that fit better.

It’s really all on the table at this point.

Replacing the coach can be just about a new perspective. I don’t think it’s Mosley but fresh take from a coaching perspective could help.

That’s a bit of a concern for me…Weltman finding a scapegoat to deflect from his awful work as GM…and prolonging it

[Skybox]

The chickens have come home to roost.

As expected, all of that 'family' talk no longer matters.

Never did…that was always empty talk that sounded okay when things are good and expectations are low. Just like “continuity only works when you’re winning”

[basketballRob]

We have the assets to improve the team. We have a treasure chest of picks. Look at the Cavs. They have used nearly every one of their future picks, and the picks they get have may get swapped.

Sent from my SM-G781U using RealGM Forums mobile app

[Skybox]

Stan strung some coherent thoughts together on the broadcast over a couple quarters that when put together back to back make a lot of sense.

The Magic lost the highest bench producing player in the league and 6th man of the year candidate and did absolutely nothing. Meanwhile the Cavs were in first place and moved two of their featured guys for a player who was leading the league in bench scoring or something like that.

We simply have a risk averse incompetent front office and ownership and are at risk yet again of losing generational talent and an opportunity to win the championship.

That’s a bad GM’s fear…when you get a national broadcast team, you get objective commentary from real experts. No “kumpayas” from SVG, just obvious facts

[basketballRob]

Read on Twitter

?t=4_13E9ZWYYxs2nyGtKyJ5g&s=19

Sent from my SM-G781U using RealGM Forums mobile app

[I Rasharted]

Your office seat is ready, Jeff.

[drsd]

We have no PG in the roster.

[zaymon]

Damn streamable can't use youtube clips.

Watch on YouTube

go on 0:44 sequence and watch until 1:08
Banchero's man moved to 3 point line, center walked pass him, he didn't even notice any of it, just continued to ball watch player who attacks rim ( zero desire to help, just watching).
Very next play, he stands near Hunter, zero box out, as soon as shot is up he goes to padd some easy rebound, but ball bounced right at Hunter, since Paolo didn't give a f*** about anything but rebound in that play, Hunter is now wide open on 3 point line

4:43
Goes under screen vs Mitchell for no good reason other than being lazy

second half
5:18
Franz gets beaten by dribble penetration, on side of Banchero, he still doesn't give a damn and never provides any help ( or contests shot at rim)

7:20
switches on Merrill. Gives him open corner 3

7:42, on Wade, gives wade rather open 3 point shot

7:53
starts transition with solid 10 feet ahead of Mobley, walks back, Mobley surpasses him- Mobley starts running straight at rim, dunks on poor Isaac giving him facial. Where is Paolo? Well... he jogged behind him.


LIke, even in game where his offense is "okey" he is still by far worst defender on the floor. His body language is pathetic. Only times he even looks like he wants to play is when he gets iso on offensive side.
Three times in 9 min of footage ( that doesn't even include all possessions ) he didn't bother to return on defense on four times.

I'm sorry but this isn't winning basketball nor he plays like winning player.
You can't give me "injury " excuse for this, he did all this last year. This year around there simply isn't prime Isaac, Suggs, Ingles- Mo bench to bail out bad games and cover for his a** on defense.


Instead of holding him accountable for this garbage, we chase tail in endless talks about Tristan, Carter, KCP; Black. Those guys are limited role players, but non of them throws off game as much as Banchero does with crappy defense and high usage, poor efficiency offense. Like , bro is walking two-way-negative player who gets 30% usage and plays below Carmelo Anthony' type defense. You aren't winning jack ****t with PF who is neither defending rim, boxing out, switching on smaller players nor is even bothered to run transition on defense.

This is your best post ever! Paolo has turned into a prima donna. I got backlash for stating how soft Paolo plays and even though he is only 22 and still young, he is losing me. My patient is running thin with his pouting and immaturity and refusal to rebound.

He is 250 lbs but drives to the hole like he is 180 and never jumps with power off of two feet. Always with one with no power like a guard. Frustrating.

This will be a defining decision for Weltman.
If he has balls he will trade Banchero. If not we will be propably stucked in mediocrity with overpayed, overhyped boy who has mentality closer to Bamba than Lebron or even Carmelo.

[drsd]

Read on Twitter

?t=4_13E9ZWYYxs2nyGtKyJ5g&s=19

For those of you that have NBA rewind; it is 7:37 left in the 3rd. His knee hyper-extension is exactly how I tore my ACL. It looks like nothing in the game. His reaction was exactly mine. Not that painful, per se, and able to walk immediately. But: let's just say my Olympic career is over, with dreams of NBA stardom in tatters.

This could be bad. Torn ACL bad.
But if if not "that" bad, Anthony is not playing again anytime soon. I'd be shocked if even he is "ok" that he would play in the month of March.

Time to unleash Joseph!

[eyriq]

Paolo had a good game.

Read on Twitter

?s=46

[jezzerinho]

Damn streamable can't use youtube clips.

Watch on YouTube

go on 0:44 sequence and watch until 1:08
Banchero's man moved to 3 point line, center walked pass him, he didn't even notice any of it, just continued to ball watch player who attacks rim ( zero desire to help, just watching).
Very next play, he stands near Hunter, zero box out, as soon as shot is up he goes to padd some easy rebound, but ball bounced right at Hunter, since Paolo didn't give a f*** about anything but rebound in that play, Hunter is now wide open on 3 point line

4:43
Goes under screen vs Mitchell for no good reason other than being lazy

second half
5:18
Franz gets beaten by dribble penetration, on side of Banchero, he still doesn't give a damn and never provides any help ( or contests shot at rim)

7:20
switches on Merrill. Gives him open corner 3

7:42, on Wade, gives wade rather open 3 point shot

7:53
starts transition with solid 10 feet ahead of Mobley, walks back, Mobley surpasses him- Mobley starts running straight at rim, dunks on poor Isaac giving him facial. Where is Paolo? Well... he jogged behind him.


LIke, even in game where his offense is "okey" he is still by far worst defender on the floor. His body language is pathetic. Only times he even looks like he wants to play is when he gets iso on offensive side.
Three times in 9 min of footage ( that doesn't even include all possessions ) he didn't bother to return on defense on four times.

I'm sorry but this isn't winning basketball nor he plays like winning player.
You can't give me "injury " excuse for this, he did all this last year. This year around there simply isn't prime Isaac, Suggs, Ingles- Mo bench to bail out bad games and cover for his a** on defense.


Instead of holding him accountable for this garbage, we chase tail in endless talks about Tristan, Carter, KCP; Black. Those guys are limited role players, but non of them throws off game as much as Banchero does with crappy defense and high usage, poor efficiency offense. Like , bro is walking two-way-negative player who gets 30% usage and plays below Carmelo Anthony' type defense. You aren't winning jack ****t with PF who is neither defending rim, boxing out, switching on smaller players nor is even bothered to run transition on defense.

This is your best post ever! Paolo has turned into a prima donna. I got backlash for stating how soft Paolo plays and even though he is only 22 and still young, he is losing me. My patient is running thin with his pouting and immaturity and refusal to rebound.

He is 250 lbs but drives to the hole like he is 180 and never jumps with power off of two feet. Always with one with no power like a guard. Frustrating.

This will be a defining decision for Weltman.
If he has balls he will trade Banchero. If not we will be propably stucked in mediocrity with overpayed, overhyped boy who has mentality closer to Bamba than Lebron or even Carmelo.

Before you do anything as nuclear an option as trading Paolo, I think you need to try to mould him better with coaching. While I'm a Mosely fan, I worry he's not prepared to be that guy who confronts Paolos worse tendencies.

Doesn't help that Paolo - since Franz's great run of games without PB - is acting a bit like a prima donna and he's starting to get called out for it by teammates.

[drsd]

Paolo had a good game.

Read on Twitter

?s=46

This really shows how wasted Banchero's effort was!