poll: how far will the Magic go this season?

[Skybox]

JI sits out the first 3 games of the seeding schedule and plays off the bench on a minutes restriction For the remaining 5 games to cautiously get ready for the playoffs. Ennis continues to start and play well at SF. Magic go 5-3 in the seeding games bringing there record with Ennis at the starting 3 to 13
wins and 7 losses. The magic earn a rematch with the Raptors, this time without Hall of Famer Kawhi Leonard and Magic killer Danny Green !

Cliff is afraid to shake up the starting lineup so he sticks with Ennis at the SF and brings JI off the bench. This allows the Magic to be able to make Siakim’s life hell dealing with either AG or Isaac defending him every second he is on the court. Siakim remains aggressive and puts up ok numbers on horrific percentages.

Vuc and Bamba both shoot around 40% from 3p keeping Ibaka and Gasol out of the paint. This allows Fultz to blow by Lowry and Van fleet and attack the basket relentlessly for layups, dunks and kick outs to Fournier, TRoss and DJ with the occasional paint drop off to JI or lob to AG when the help defender comes over.

MCW and Lowry get into a fist fight at some point of the series (MCW wins).

Fultz has a break out Series averaging 24pts and 8ast as the Magic win games 1,3,5,6.

Magic in 6 !

I’ll save the 2nd round prediction till after this one comes true.

THIS...not likely, but based on real possibilities. The COVID break creates all kinds of upset possibilities...who is fit, who’s in sync, who’s healthy? Who’s scared? Who’s more disjointed by empty arena? I also think creative coaches can steal the day with unexpected adjustments and game plans (more than normally)- that favors Nurse. But solid defense can be counted on even if offenses are rusty-that could favor ORL...if our other players hold their own, I could see Fultz punishing other teams‘ PGs and really breaking out.

Let’s Gooooooo

[Statlanta]

We are getting swept

There's no taking a top seed by surprise anymore and we aren't healthy

[drsd]

Gary Clark is still out there catching fish.

I needed this in my day today.

Thank you very much !



\..

[drsd]

We are getting swept

I think this is unlikely. In lockdown, can any team expect to sweep?


..

[drsd]

I am the ultimate optimist-Homer and voted "Lose in round 2".

The three Ultra-Homers that voted: "Win the Championship". Well: I Praise you. If the Magic win a title this year, it will be the ultimate Asterisk or no-Asterisk discussion. And it will be an all time conversation.

..

[cwas2882]

When was the last time we had a jacket up season? 1999 lockout? What happened in the Eastern conference? The 8th seed, minus they're best player, made it to the finals

If there's ever a season to have unreasonable hope, this is the season

[Bensational]

It's going to be interesting to see how these games go. With no crowd, the atmosphere might feel more like an intense scrimmage game. We might see some practice-stars suddenly step up, lol. Or we get AG-Bryant.

But for real, Vuc isn't a high-pressure guy. He does poorly in the clutch and did poorly last post season. These new court conditions might take some of that pressure off for him. Fultz, too, might be more encouraged to take deeper shots. His shoulder might be ready for it now, too, with a good deal of extra time for rest and rehab.

I say Milwaukee and Toronto walk all over us. Boston and Philly we can push back on for at least a game, maybe two.

[basketballRob]

If we play Toronto again and JI is back, I'd like to see him matched aginst Ibaka at backup center. Cliff needs to try something different.

Sent from my SM-G950U using RealGM mobile app

[drsd]

Orlando will be an athletic small-ball team for the first 8-games. We will learn a lot if that can be effective.

[j-ragg]

Orlando will be an athletic small-ball team for the first 8-games.

What makes you say that?

[drsd]

Orlando will be an athletic small-ball team for the first 8-games.

What makes you say that?

The Magic were playing two and three PG rotations during their offensive explosion. That is ultra likely to continue.

[Knightro]

Orlando will be an athletic small-ball team for the first 8-games.

What makes you say that?

The Magic were playing two and three PG rotations during their offensive explosion. That is ultra likely to continue.

Fultz, Augustin and Carter-Williams only played on the court at the same time for 1 minute during the last 12 games of the Magic's season when the offense took a massive uptick.

Fultz and Augustin played a total of 24 minutes and 2.7 MPG together during the run.

Fultz and Carter-Williams played a total of 30 minutes and 2.5 MPG together during the run.

The pairing that did play a lot together was Augustin and Carter-Williams off the bench. Those two played 168 minutes together over 10 games, sharing the floor for 16.8 minutes a night with Carter-Williams playing almost exclusively at SG/SF

But if you look at little closer, those numbers are a bit skewed because Fournier missed the final three games which caused a significant uptick in minutes for both Augustin and MCW.

MCW played 18.5 MPG in the games Fournier was healthy and then bumped up 24.6 MPG in games Fournier missed.

Augustin played 17.9 MPG in the games Fournier was healthy and then bumped up to 25.7 MPG in the games Fournier missed.

Fournier is back 100% healthy, so I'd expect Augustin and MCW to both be bumped back down.

There's also the possibility, however slight it may be, that Jonathan Isaac could return for these final 8 games and/or playoff games.

If Isaac can't play at all, I'd imagine Clifford will play 9 guys.

Fultz-Fournier-Ennis-Gordon-Vucevic as the starters and Augustin-Ross-MCW-Bamba off the bench with Iwundu the 10th man as needed.

If Isaac *is* able to play, then I could see Clifford playing 10 guys. Possibly bringing Isaac off the bench as to not upset the apple cart.

[PrimeThyme]

I get 10 times more enjoyment watching MCW play then I do watching Evan or DJ. He just plays so hard and is such a clear upgrade defensively over both. He may not stretch the floor like either guy does, but he's been better offensively here then I expected. He makes the right pass more often than not and though he has the tendency to blow open layups, he has a knack for getting to the rim off the dribble and creating some shots for himself or other guys.

I'd prefer for MCW to eat into as many Ennis/DJ minutes as possible.

[Knightro]

I get 10 times more enjoyment watching MCW play then I do watching Evan or DJ. He just plays so hard and is such a clear upgrade defensively over both. He may not stretch the floor like either guy does, but he's been better offensively here then I expected. He makes the right pass more often than not and though he has the tendency to blow open layups, he has a knack for getting to the rim off the dribble and creating some shots for himself or other guys.

I'd prefer for MCW to eat into as many Ennis/DJ minutes as possible.

This has been the best year of MCW’s career from a Win Shares and WS/48 standpoint.

He’s trying to earn another contract for next season. Clifford clearly loves him. It will be interesting to see what happens there.

[Skybox]

I get 10 times more enjoyment watching MCW play then I do watching Evan or DJ. He just plays so hard and is such a clear upgrade defensively over both. He may not stretch the floor like either guy does, but he's been better offensively here then I expected. He makes the right pass more often than not and though he has the tendency to blow open layups, he has a knack for getting to the rim off the dribble and creating some shots for himself or other guys.

I'd prefer for MCW to eat into as many Ennis/DJ minutes as possible.

This has been the best year of MCW’s career from a Win Shares and WS/48 standpoint.

He’s trying to earn another contract for next season. Clifford clearly loves him. It will be interesting to see what happens there.

Yes- both MCW and/or DJ are certainly candidates to ring chase for what ORL will likely offer them. Both are presently playing valuable bench roles.

[Bensational]

MCW should be kept around just for what he adds to our team's identity. The dude can singlehandedly inspire that 2nd unit to go on runs with his defense and hustle. (lol, probably more often than not they remain neutral because they can't convert on the other end, but whatever.) Plus he can defend 1-3 at a high level.

If he can make an average 3pt shot stick, he's even better.

[jezzerinho]

Totally agree on MCW. He's a must-keep, unless he has to be used in a trade for a star on a S&T or something.

Takes a lot of players time to find their playing identity. When they do, the improvements can be pretty decent, as they're building on a solid base. I think it's not overly optimistic to expect MCW to continue to get better and he's already the best value player on the roster.

[pepe1991]

I get 10 times more enjoyment watching MCW play then I do watching Evan or DJ. He just plays so hard and is such a clear upgrade defensively over both. He may not stretch the floor like either guy does, but he's been better offensively here then I expected. He makes the right pass more often than not and though he has the tendency to blow open layups, he has a knack for getting to the rim off the dribble and creating some shots for himself or other guys.

I'd prefer for MCW to eat into as many Ennis/DJ minutes as possible.

MCW inability to shoot from any range gets exposed in serious, playoff games.
He played 16 playoff games in his career and shot 2-14 for 3( 14%) , 41% FG overall, putrid 41% eFG% , 44,6% TS.

His only "skill" is that he plays hard in regular season where most of other players simply- don't.
It's cool to watch him dive for ball in second quater in game 14th game of regular season, but for vast majority of serious teams he has no value, hence, for wast majority of teams in general. That's why he was out of NBA after few years.

This year he played best basketball of his career ( TS 4% higher than any other season, least negative OBPM...) but at the end of a day he is 6'5 combo guard who can't shoot pass 5 feet. In playoffs, where every inch counts, he is player less.

[TheGlyde]

If Isaac can't play at all, I'd imagine Clifford will play 9 guys.

Fultz-Fournier-Ennis-Gordon-Vucevic as the starters and Augustin-Ross-MCW-Bamba off the bench with Iwundu the 10th man as needed.

If Isaac *is* able to play, then I could see Clifford playing 10 guys. Possibly bringing Isaac off the bench as to not upset the apple cart.

Cliff has spoken about playing an extended rotation of 11-12 guys. Essentially load managing everyone coming off the long hiatus.

I am interested to see whether we get improved play from Ennis and Clark now that they arent trying to learn everything on the fly and have been here through the whole restart (minus Ennis’ COVID days).

[Knightro]

Cliff has spoken about playing an extended rotation of 11-12 guys. Essentially load managing everyone coming off the long hiatus.

I am interested to see whether we get improved play from Ennis and Clark now that they arent trying to learn everything on the fly and have been here through the whole restart (minus Ennis’ COVID days).

Respectfully to Clifford, I’ll believe this when I see it.

I could see him playing a bunch of guys during the scrimmages and maybe even the first 2-3 games, but I have a feeling Clifford is going to want to finalize a rotation and get his core rotation of guys ready to extend themselves before the playoffs start.