2024-2025 Regular Season Game 72: Los Angeles Lakers (43-27) at Orlando Magic (33-38) - 7pm

MasterGMer · Post #221 » by **MasterGMer** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 2:26 am

eyriq wrote:

Read on Twitter
?t=OGArwtN1tpPj0fzsbgEhsA&s=19

How bout tat AB tonight!!

KillMonger · Post #222 » by **KillMonger** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 2:29 am

thelead wrote:Paolo with 30 pts on 67 TS%

He's now up to 55.2% for the season and averaging 29.6ppg on 60% TS% since the all-star game. I'm ecstatic by his progress.

Franz was awesome too tonight. 32 pts 58.6 TS%.

We got our guys..... Can we stop with the slander and agendas and move forward please.... Not too much to ask is it?

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Ducklett · Post #223 » by **Ducklett** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 2:34 am

Something something AB sucks.

Optimus_Steel · Post #224 » by **Optimus_Steel** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 2:40 am

Great win tonight. Took a lead into the 4th and held on. Franz and Paolo put them away. Funny how better things look when the role players play their role in support but I think because the 2 stars were decisive which allowed role players to be aggressive and in rhythm. For the most part there was not much settling and overly thinking which has been bad for us. This team is really not that far away. Get a decent PG, surround the stars with shooting, and find reliability in the bigs.

Post #225 » by **Knightro** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 2:49 am

The tribalism around specific players is getting old already.

These guys aren't delicate flowers. They can be criticized if it's warranted.

3ddman23 · Post #226 » by **3ddman23** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 3:16 am

LMAO the bulls are playing out of there minds lately (about to beat Denver in Denver). They won't miss from 3. Playing then in the play in with the way they are hit shooting 3 ( even giddey is draining 3s) will be challenging.

SloNick Russia · Post #227 » by **SloNick Russia** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 3:18 am

Paolo FT numbers in march are amazing.
If he can stick to 9-10 attempts on 80-85 % he will always be in the mix for a scoring title.

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Ducklett · Post #228 » by **Ducklett** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 3:18 am

Knightro wrote:The tribalism around specific players is getting old already.

These guys aren't delicate flowers. They can be criticized if it's warranted.

True. The problem is that around here is that criticism blasts off into the hyperbole/over-reactionary in the best of times LOL.

JF5 · Post #229 » by **JF5** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 3:20 am

Ducklett wrote:Something something AB sucks.

AB was used correctly this game. Quick decisions, and scored off scrambling and spotting up. When he has to think/dribble/play-make a ton he's not that good at those things.

It's very similar to Jalen Suggs.

KillMonger · Post #230 » by **KillMonger** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 3:21 am

SloNick Russia wrote:Paolo FT numbers in march are amazing.
If he can stick to 9-10 attempts on 80-85 % he will always be in the mix for a scoring title.

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Saw something on my timeline about him increasing his free throw practice to 200 per day during all star break.... Good decision

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KillMonger · Post #231 » by **KillMonger** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 3:24 am

JF5 wrote:
Ducklett wrote:Something something AB sucks.

AB was used correctly this game. Quick decisions, and scored off scrambling and spotting up. When he has to think/dribble/play-make a ton he's not that good at those things.

It's very similar to Jalen Suggs.

That's because he's not playing in a system... This read and react BS is what mose wanted offensively..... Problem is at times it looks like we have no idea what we're doing..... Whenever you see paolo and Franz just surveying..... AB just looking around? Yeah that's the product of not having a set system to run where everyone knows their role and where people are supposed to be at any given time...

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SHAQ32 · Post #232 » by **SHAQ32** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 5:17 am

Ducklett wrote:Something something AB sucks.

Something something two games

pepe1991 · Post #233 » by **pepe1991** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 6:06 am

Knightro wrote:
VFX wrote:I gotta say. Man the Lakers need a Center.

Like... wow they really needed that Mark Williams trade to happen. Just had no rim protection or presence.

Not just that... but Reaves is an actively bad defender and both Luka and LeBron are EXTREMELY hit or miss on that end. When they're not locked in, they're both bad too.

Hard to be good defensively when 3/5 of your SL is poor defensively.

And Mark Williams btw is AWFUL defensively

He would have given them a great rim running athlete who can also rebound, but he's way worse defensively than people realize.

They also play bit of catch up. Post Luka trade, Luka wasn't 100% ready. Than that trade fell apart for a C. They still started red hot than lost Lebron for 2-3 weeks as he just returned vs Bulls, who btw, spanked them by -31.

And i think both Smith and Reaves missed some time as well, i know they didn't play Bucks.

I assume that both Lakers and Memphis view each other as second easiest first round matchup on West.

Worst teams you can meet there are probably Lakers, Houston and Grizzlies, in no particular order.
Wolves- OKC in first round :pray:

cedric76 · Post #234 » by **cedric76** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 6:28 am

No Cole = win

drsd · Post #235 » by **drsd** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 6:36 am

Box score thoughts:
The Magic won the FG% battle and won the game.

In the end that is not why the Magic won, as the Lakers made up for that via winning the made FTs battle.

What won the game was the Magic winning the FGAs battle (+5), and that was becasue the Magic won the rebounding differential battle (+4) and TO differential battle (-4). Eight extra possessions, Coach will love that.

In conclusion:

DiplomaticMagic · Post #236 » by **DiplomaticMagic** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 7:00 am

Dont get whats going on with Isaac and his minutes. He has had a down year no doubt, but 9 minutes for him is ridiculous especially when he was playing good.

I still believe in Isaac, Im hoping he can get back to his production last season. Because he was a game changer and that is worth keeping when hes your 7th-8th man.

GelbeWand09 · Post #237 » by **GelbeWand09** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 7:06 am

KillMonger wrote:
thelead wrote:Paolo with 30 pts on 67 TS%

He's now up to 55.2% for the season and averaging 29.6ppg on 60% TS% since the all-star game. I'm ecstatic by his progress.

Franz was awesome too tonight. 32 pts 58.6 TS%.
We got our guys..... Can we stop with the slander and agendas and move forward please.... Not too much to ask is it?

Sent from my [Sidekick 5G] using RealGM mobile app

The critic was more than justified. He was a high volume, low to mid eff. Chucker over most of his career so far, with bad to mediocre defense. Nothing to sugarcoat. Now he hopefully made the efficiency jump I've asked for. With his usage / defense combination, everything under. 600% TS is a no go if he wants to be a impact player and not only empty stats player. Now he has to show it for a full season. You don't get awards for 1-2 months of good play. And he needs to at least try to defend as hard as it gets with his limited tools on defense most of the games, because when you don't defend even .600 TS can be empty stats ala LaVine and Co.

KillMonger · Post #238 » by **KillMonger** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 8:05 am

GelbeWand09 wrote:
KillMonger wrote:
thelead wrote:Paolo with 30 pts on 67 TS%

He's now up to 55.2% for the season and averaging 29.6ppg on 60% TS% since the all-star game. I'm ecstatic by his progress.

Franz was awesome too tonight. 32 pts 58.6 TS%.
We got our guys..... Can we stop with the slander and agendas and move forward please.... Not too much to ask is it?

Sent from my [Sidekick 5G] using RealGM mobile app

The critic was more than justified. He was a high volume, low to mid eff. Chucker over most of his career so far, with bad to mediocre defense. Nothing to sugarcoat. Now he hopefully made the efficiency jump I've asked for. With his usage / defense combination, everything under. 600% TS is a no go if he wants to be a impact player and not only empty stats player. Now he has to show it for a full season. You don't get awards for 1-2 months of good play. And he needs to at least try to defend as hard as it gets with his limited tools on defense most of the games, because when you don't defend even .600 TS can be empty stats ala LaVine and Co.

It wasn't justified..... We kept saying to give him grace because of the injury and what he's done in the playoffs and how he started the season.... He was playing even worse than his normal standard that he's not himself.... But certain people kept it going and started going overboard calling him a loser and whatnot and getting into it with his mother even though she was right.....

Now he's got his legs under him he's playing similar to how he's started the season he's been playing like an all nba player and now it's crickets.... What was it about paolo that he deserved a "justified" dissection when he clearly wasn't himself? After rising to the occasion when it mattered most in the playoffs? That didn't buy him some grace? He's got to "prove" that to you as a 22 year old? Why isn't anyone asking wemby to prove anything? Or cade? It's not a normal thing to be asking that of a work in progress.... Ask paolo to prove something when he's 25, dude is barely old enough to drink..... He's doing fine at this point in his career.....

pepe1991 · Post #239 » by **pepe1991** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 8:21 am

He averaged near 22 shots for 27 points on 55% TS in playoffs, on 34% usage, with more TOs than assists. That's not as impressive as you think.

What Victor or Cade have to prove?
Cade is solo-star on Pistons , with nobody even close to a talent that Paolo has in Franz. Averages 26 ppg, is one of best pure playmakers in a league ( 9,2 apg ) and will lead team to playoffs. ( 56% TS for a season).

Victor was literally on pace, before health condition ( not injury) to win DPOY, become all nba team member and be top 10 in MVP race. 24 ppg, 11 rpg, 3,7 apg, 4 blocks, 60% TS.

And despite shooting better, he still isn't even best player on "his" team. And if you have "two superstars" you should be way better than 8th seed on East.

There is nothing more than annoying than fighting every game to push narratives, no matter what they are. Regular season is made out of 82 games. Every single rotation player, over 6 months has 10 great and 10 terrible games stretch. Neither that player is as bad as 10 worst nor as good as 10 best. That's why we use average.
From day one i said, and nothing changed, that this is yet another throwaway season. Not good enough to compete for title, not bad enough to tank. Season just played in fashion where record will be worst than expected, but also not by much.

For current roster floor is first round, ceiling is second round. We can talk to oblivion about Paolo, Suggs, Mosley, Weltman, Franz, Black but until roster is recharged, retooled and changed, nothing will change.

drsd · Post #240 » by **drsd** » Tue Mar 25, 2025 9:12 am

3ddman23 wrote:LMAO the bulls are playing out of there minds lately (about to beat Denver in Denver). They won't miss from 3. Playing then in the play in with the way they are hit shooting 3 ( even giddey is draining 3s) will be challenging.

Tooling around White and Giddey, I project the Bulls to have a very rapid rebuild.