2020-2021 Regular Season Game 45: Portland Trail Blazers (26-18) at Orlando Magic (15-29)

[Nyce_1]

Looked like Carmelo was whispering words of encouragement to Chuma after the game.

Sent from my SM-G950U using RealGM mobile app

I caught this too.

same way I caught AG & Porter talking after the Denver game.

[Nyce_1]

Like always in the last years, all the hyperbole of we wont score 70 points if this or that player misses, is just that. Its the NBA regular season, as long as you defend, run your plays & hustle, almost everyone can score a bit. We gonna win games with this team too.
A bunch of g-leaquers won us games in the Luka draft too. Nobody should expect that we lose out now.

Happy for Chuma's last 2 games. Now that we fully rebuild, its a good thing that his contract started this season and not last. We have a year more cap flexibility.

very good point about this contract. management lucked into that fortune of things timing up.

it's so refreshing to see we have a clean cap sheet and the FO now has real control over what happens to it. Hopefully they're wise with spending. Going forward, I'd be surprised to see any signings longer than 2 years.

[drsd]

I still have some hope left for Harris turning the corner again. The guy was maybe the best young 3+D player in the leaque, some years ago. I hoped last year already we trade for him. He was a .400% 3P shooter for 2 seasons & Denvers main defender in the PO.
The chance is probably slim, but he is young enough to turn the corner, ''if'' he can stay healthy for a season (Are a lot of those ''Ifs'' on our team next year ).

Every reason to think Harris starts next year. THen we get to see what he brings. If/when the Magic draft a new SG, as a minimum, Harris can teach the Rook the commitments required to be an elite defender than is a elite catch and shoot player. Jalen Green in particular could learn a lot from Harris.

[drsd]

With this loss, Orland is 1-game worse than #5-Washington and 1 1/2 games better than #3-Houston.

Orlando is currently 5-games back of a play-in slot. With only 27 games left, Orlando needs to go about about 18-9 (66% win rate). Only Philly and Brooklyn are winning at that rate in the East.

[RookieStar]

I know you guys hate Birch taking up minutes but that man is all heart, 15 rebounds, blocks, 4 steals, 4 assist plus 14 points!!! And all on the cheap, yeah we need to keep him here might become Ben Wallace light!

you makeba good point.

We all are focusing on the new dimensions our young guys open up now that Vuc Evan and AG are gone, we shouldnt forget Birch as well. I think him being a journeyman C made him defer a lot to the long tenured vets in AG and Vuc, bit now that its wide open, I wanna see what he can bribg to the table also whether as a PF or C

Birch is a good player and worthy of a raise, which he'll get. But not from ORL...He's simply auditioning now. Given his career and age -He's not a guy looking for an opportunity, he's looking for a paycheck. I completely support the guy but once Carter gets here, Birch should be deep in the rotation. It's pretty clear that we're all about tomorrow now. Birch has fought for every minute in the NBA, he would have to be Mother Teresa to accept a "mentor" role for these kids making 5x what he does just so they can take his job. If Carter's healthy, I'd even consider a buyout as a sign of gratitude. He's not in our future plans and I'd be shocked if he'd accept another minimal deal from ORL (I assume he'd have better opportunities AND better financial offers)...Plus, you can't expect Cliff to not play him.

Auditioning for another team? Maybe BUT we were the only team to look and sign him.
If you are a journeyman C and your choices were
A.) one team will sign you but you have to do what the coaches say
B.) go back to Europe

I know what I would choose.

[RookieStar]

I still have some hope left for Harris turning the corner again. The guy was maybe the best young 3+D player in the leaque, some years ago. I hoped last year already we trade for him. He was a .400% 3P shooter for 2 seasons & Denvers main defender in the PO.
The chance is probably slim, but he is young enough to turn the corner, ''if'' he can stay healthy for a season (Are a lot of those ''Ifs'' on our team next year ).

Every reason to think Harris starts next year. THen we get to see what he brings. If/when the Magic draft a new SG, as a minimum, Harris can teach the Rook the commitments required to be an elite defender than is a elite catch and shoot player. Jalen Green in particular could learn a lot from Harris.

Harris starts next year? RJ HAmpton might have something to say about that. Or CAde for that matter (lol)

[DiplomaticMagic]

That was easily my favorite game all year.

Hope we dont play as well vs. the Lakers without Bron and AD