Knee Jerk Observation

Destin · Post #1 » by **Destin** » Sat Feb 20, 2016 3:35 pm

Last night was the first time I have watched a game this season and noticed a sense of urgency to win a ball game. All of the coaches looked engaged to desperately want to win the ball game. Everybody played with intensity and for the first time this season I could tell that they desperately wanted to win a ball game.

Even though the new guys came in with great games, I think this was the main reason for the intensity everybody else had last night. Henny shook things up with the roster and I think we can now build on a start of the new season.

I am so happy to see Frye off this roster. I hated watching that guy play and as much as I liked Tobias it is apparent his teammates did not like playing with him. I could tell in Victor's post game interview ecstatic having Jennings as a teammate.

It's only one game but we beat a very solid Dallas Mavs team and for the first time this season we FINISHED (and finished strong)

My only disappointment about last night is that the crowd sucked. Our fans do not know how to be loud to win games. They trickle back to their seats close to the end of the 3rd quarter after halftime. WTF is that all about?

Do I think we end the season 30-0? NO. I do think we have a shot at making the playoffs and watching this team each night will be something to look forward to. I cannot wait until Sunday.

drsd · Post #2 » by **drsd** » Sat Feb 20, 2016 4:31 pm

Destin wrote:Do I think we end the season 30-0? NO. I do think we have a shot at making the playoffs and watching this team each night will be something to look forward to. I cannot wait until Sunday.

17-12 to avoid a losing season; that would be Ace !

..

Optimus_Steel · Post #3 » by **Optimus_Steel** » Sat Feb 20, 2016 4:37 pm

There was a sense of urgency finally from this team last night. Now is that going to last? Its hard to say but that's one reason you need good veterans.

OrlandoDream · Post #4 » by **OrlandoDream** » Sat Feb 20, 2016 4:40 pm

Destin wrote:Last night was the first time I have watched a game this season and noticed a sense of urgency to win a ball game. All of the coaches looked engaged to desperately want to win the ball game. Everybody played with intensity and for the first time this season I could tell that they desperately wanted to win a ball game.

Even though the new guys came in with great games, I think this was the main reason for the intensity everybody else had last night. Henny shook things up with the roster and I think we can now build on a start of the new season.

I am so happy to see Frye off this roster. I hated watching that guy play and as much as I liked Tobias it is apparent his teammates did not like playing with him. I could tell in Victor's post game interview ecstatic having Jennings as a teammate.

It's only one game but we beat a very solid Dallas Mavs team and for the first time this season we FINISHED (and finished strong)

My only disappointment about last night is that the crowd sucked. Our fans do not know how to be loud to win games. They trickle back to their seats close to the end of the 3rd quarter after halftime. WTF is that all about?

Do I think we end the season 30-0? NO. I do think we have a shot at making the playoffs and watching this team each night will be something to look forward to. I cannot wait until Sunday.

No other player(s) beside Dipo and Elf are going to benefit more from the Jennings trade then those two. We have not had a veteran PG with leadership experience since Jameer. That veteran presence when you are a young developing guard is important. Im stoked to have BJ on this team and if he can play like he did last night, its going to be huge for us.

CJ needs to get some rehab bc he isnt ready. Ride the bench for a couple of games imo......as long as Napier stays in DNP.

Destin · Post #5 » by **Destin** » Sat Feb 20, 2016 4:59 pm

I saw a little grit out there last night. A little pushing and shoving.. a little (not as much as I would like to see) but a little swagger.

That game was what I have been wanting to see for so long with this team.

I loved how when Dipo made that crazy shot, Jennings was the first one to get up in his face. Jennings was geeked. I love it! Dipo and Jennings already has great chemistry!

Jennings loves the Sun over Snow as well!

FloridaHoosier · Post #6 » by **FloridaHoosier** » Sat Feb 20, 2016 5:04 pm

I have a love/hate relationship with going to the games. There are just too many people there that are not there to watch the game, let alone cheer for the Magic. I've complained before that people walk around in front of you without waiting for breaks in action and have had people on multiple occasions tell me to sit down during player introductions. Too many vacationers and people just there to be seen. Maybe it's like that at all NBA games, but it is very annoying to a true fan. Didn't make it to last night's game, but going Sunday. Hope they have the same intensity against the Pacers.

FloridaHoosier · Post #7 » by **FloridaHoosier** » Sat Feb 20, 2016 5:05 pm

Oh, and they looked like they were having fun again! That has been missing since the start of the season.

MrShow · Post #8 » by **MrShow** » Sat Feb 20, 2016 5:09 pm

Destin wrote:My only disappointment about last night is that the crowd sucked. Our fans do not know how to be loud to win games. They trickle back to their seats close to the end of the 3rd quarter after halftime. WTF is that all about?

This has always been the case with Magic fans, and they leave way early too, which aggravates the hell out of me. The arena design is also partly to blame because of all the non-game/extra garbage they put in that building. A car has a better view of the game than a significant part of the crowd. :lol:

Destin · Post #9 » by **Destin** » Sat Feb 20, 2016 5:14 pm

We had the best fans in the world at the O-Rena. This new arena is not loud at all.

What I loved about the O-Rena was that the seats were so close to the floor where the new arena seems so far and distant.

tooler · Post #10 » by **tooler** » Sat Feb 20, 2016 5:18 pm

Optimus_Steel wrote:There was a sense of urgency finally from this team last night. Now is that going to last? Its hard to say but that's one reason you need good veterans.

We've seen it a few other times, most recently against Atlanta.

I wonder if there's an effect where not having your "captains" Tobias and Frye means the rest of the players feel like they need to play extra hard to make up for it. They band together as a team and scramble around defense.

Like you said, the question is sustainability. We've seen bursts of energy from this team every few weeks for the last two years.

tooler · Post #11 » by **tooler** » Sat Feb 20, 2016 5:38 pm

FloridaHoosier wrote:I have a love/hate relationship with going to the games. There are just too many people there that are not there to watch the game, let alone cheer for the Magic. I've complained before that people walk around in front of you without waiting for breaks in action and have had people on multiple occasions tell me to sit down during player introductions. Too many vacationers and people just there to be seen. Maybe it's like that at all NBA games, but it is very annoying to a true fan. Didn't make it to last night's game, but going Sunday. Hope they have the same intensity against the Pacers.

I was thinking last night that I didn't really get into it until the late 4th quarter and OT. It's not like football or college basketball where so much hinges on one possession or a big defensive stand. Other arenas may be better, but I think it's always going to be an inherent issue with the NBA.

npiper17 · Post #12 » by **npiper17** » Sat Feb 20, 2016 8:54 pm

I'm afraid unless it's playoff time that the AC will never reach the volume level of the AA.

I don't necessarily blame the fans for this. At the end of the day the Magic (Martins and the corporate arm) chose revenue enhancing features over atmosphere. For example, how often on the overhead shot of the Amway Center that they show after commercial breaks are there 40-50 people gathered on the outside terrace literally right in the middle of the game?

The reason for moving to a new building was because the Magic made nowhere near the league average in additional revenue on arena extras. Now we make money in that area but at a cost to the overall atmosphere.

Orlandos_Finest · Post #13 » by **Orlandos_Finest** » Sat Feb 20, 2016 9:04 pm

Destin wrote:I saw a little grit out there last night. A little pushing and shoving.. a little (not as much as I would like to see) but a little swagger.

That game was what I have been wanting to see for so long with this team.

I loved how when Dipo made that crazy shot, Jennings was the first one to get up in his face. Jennings was geeked. I love it! Dipo and Jennings already has great chemistry!

Jennings loves the Sun over Snow as well!

I noticed this too. When Villanueva was trying to hand check Jennings and hang onto him on defense before the inbounds pass, I remember Jennings smack his arm away 2 or 3 times. Made me smile. Like bih back off. :lol:

I already like him on this team. We needed some toughness. After watching Tobias and Channing for a few years, I believe the notion of a "loser mentality." They never got mad and scrappy like a junkyard dog, they just wilted like rose petals.

ORLMagicGirl15 · Post #14 » by **ORLMagicGirl15** » Sat Feb 20, 2016 10:29 pm

I'm happy that the team won but I never got the sense that the team didn't want to play with Tobias.

Last Guardian · Post #15 » by **Last Guardian** » Sun Feb 21, 2016 1:29 am

There has been a sense of urgency to win many times this season...this wasn't our first win. During January though I agree there was no sense of urgency.

Trades always give a boost at first, hopefully we keep it up.

PennytoShaq · Post #16 » by **PennytoShaq** » Sun Feb 21, 2016 2:32 am

The new Arena is not loud, but if you were at the game you would have heard the crowd was a lot more into it. It's a shame that it just isn't as loud on TV as the old Arena.

King Close · Post #17 » by **King Close** » Sun Feb 21, 2016 3:28 am

FloridaHoosier wrote:I have a love/hate relationship with going to the games. There are just too many people there that are not there to watch the game, let alone cheer for the Magic. I've complained before that people walk around in front of you without waiting for breaks in action and have had people on multiple occasions tell me to sit down during player introductions. Too many vacationers and people just there to be seen. Maybe it's like that at all NBA games, but it is very annoying to a true fan. Didn't make it to last night's game, but going Sunday. Hope they have the same intensity against the Pacers.

I agree 110%. I haven't been to many games this year at all (I think 4), but every time I get a chance to go I take it. (Usually bad seats :banghead:

) The atmosphere at the games is weird, when we were a winning team there was so much pride, and cheering - now if you cheer you're disturbing the other people "watching". I guess it makes sense, if you're not a die-hard fan you only care if we're winning.

Mannchild · Post #18 » by **Mannchild** » Sun Feb 21, 2016 3:29 am

ORLMagicGirl15 wrote:I'm happy that the team won but I never got the sense that the team didn't want to play with Tobias.

I just dont think Harris did well because of Skiles offense. It's the same reason i think payton and dipo have had trouble. Our offense promotes much more swinging of the ball followed by catch and shoot. Payton, Dipo, and Harris do most of their best work when the ball is in their hand and they are attacking.

magicman112 · Post #19 » by **magicman112** » Sun Feb 21, 2016 4:46 am

FloridaHoosier wrote:I have a love/hate relationship with going to the games. There are just too many people there that are not there to watch the game, let alone cheer for the Magic. I've complained before that people walk around in front of you without waiting for breaks in action and have had people on multiple occasions tell me to sit down during player introductions. Too many vacationers and people just there to be seen. Maybe it's like that at all NBA games, but it is very annoying to a true fan. Didn't make it to last night's game, but going Sunday. Hope they have the same intensity against the Pacers.

I've been a fan since 89 and been to many games. For the people in the lower bowl(especially the courtside) it's a social event. You see the recently divorced middle aged men leading their twenty-something girlfriends around to show them off to everyone and all the mucky mucks are there to network and sit in the expensive seats. We called them "Wine and Cheesers" on the Ozone board back in the day lol. But yes the old O-Rena could get LOUD and there would be an electricity in the air in that building. I remember just expecting to win every time I went because they usually did.

magicman112 · Post #20 » by **magicman112** » Sun Feb 21, 2016 4:49 am

Destin wrote:I saw a little grit out there last night. A little pushing and shoving.. a little (not as much as I would like to see) but a little swagger.

That game was what I have been wanting to see for so long with this team.

I loved how when Dipo made that crazy shot, Jennings was the first one to get up in his face. Jennings was geeked. I love it! Dipo and Jennings already has great chemistry!

Jennings loves the Sun over Snow as well!

I also was really happy to see when Jennings did that. And how Dipo exclaimed in the post game interview I'm glad he's here! Didn't really see a lot of that before and that kind of excitement and enthusiasm is infectious. I think he's going to help Dipo and Elf especially because he was a lottery pick like they were and knows what they're going through right now.