Orlando Magic Supporter Clan - Dunk contest winners not welcome

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From the trade deadline last season we finished 19-8 to make the playoffs, basically the same team, haven’t lost anyone while adding in Bamba, Fultz and Aminu. Our depth looks very good.

With some improvement in Gordon and Issac we should aim for a top 4 finish in the East.
 
From the trade deadline last season we finished 19-8 to make the playoffs, basically the same team, haven’t lost anyone while adding in Bamba, Fultz and Aminu. Our depth looks very good.

With some improvement in Gordon and Issac we should aim for a top 4 finish in the East.
I don't want to get excited because the last time I did that was the Scott Skiles season and that turned to trash.

But I can't help it, we're going 82-0!
 
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From the trade deadline last season we finished 19-8 to make the playoffs, basically the same team, haven’t lost anyone while adding in Bamba, Fultz and Aminu. Our depth looks very good.

With some improvement in Gordon and Issac we should aim for a top 4 finish in the East.

IMO the Magic are/will be as good as any team in the East after Philly and the Bucks. Front court is still an awkward logjam but it's a super deep roster not to mention ridiculously athletic.
 

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tige19

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Offence stunk it up but defensively we will be in the top 2-3 in the league, that I am confident about.

AG just looks like AG, he seems to have reached his ceiling. JI was a defensive beast, Vuc was solid Vuc and Ev was solid. Our clear X-factor with legit all star skills is Fultz, he played 23 mins and had 12 points and 6 assists, he got to the basket when he wanted and his mid range was smooth. Whilst his catch and shoot is still awkward, it’s a hell of a lot better than where he was. A matter of time before he starts, I’ll give 10-15 games.
 
Offence stunk it up but defensively we will be in the top 2-3 in the league, that I am confident about.

AG just looks like AG, he seems to have reached his ceiling. JI was a defensive beast, Vuc was solid Vuc and Ev was solid. Our clear X-factor with legit all star skills is Fultz, he played 23 mins and had 12 points and 6 assists, he got to the basket when he wanted and his mid range was smooth. Whilst his catch and shoot is still awkward, it’s a hell of a lot better than where he was. A matter of time before he starts, I’ll give 10-15 games.
10 games and he'll be starting and playing 30+ minutes. He is easily a 20/10 guy and has such a huge ceiling. I'm not writing off AG yet because we've seen what he can do when he takes over games. He only turned 24 last month so he still hasn't reached his potential IMO
 

tige19

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10 games and he'll be starting and playing 30+ minutes. He is easily a 20/10 guy and has such a huge ceiling. I'm not writing off AG yet because we've seen what he can do when he takes over games. He only turned 24 last month so he still hasn't reached his potential IMO

Man I'm such an AG guy, I was so confident we were drafting a better defensive Griffin when we took him, legit I thought we had an eventual 20 point guy who can guard every position and be an all defensive guy... But, I just don't see it, he still can't create his own shot, his handles are just ok and he's not big enough to dominate in the post. The AG we have now is a very good player, don't get me wrong, a 16/7/2 guy who can defend 1on1 anyone in the league, but I think that's all he'll be.

Markelle... just wow... his length is so hard to guard, he can get that mid range release over anyone and his long steps allow him to get to the rim whenever he wants. Not sure what we'll get out of him for the season, but if he stays healthy he could be a Westbrook V2.
 

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Are Markelle's FT's still ghastly or has he made improvements there?

Didn't get to the line but pre-season he has been clunky with his mechanics although it's miles better than his Phily days.

His mid range off the dribble release is pure poetry, hopefully his catch and shoot and free throws get there.
 

tige19

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He only shot 65% during college

But his mechanics were smooth, that's most important for consistency in the NBA... Still, he looks a hell of a lot better in his range of motion than when he was at Phily, I can see him slowly getting back that smooth release as the season progresses and when it happens it's over.

How long do we keep JI at the 3 and Aminu on the bench? With Fultz drawing defenders and forcing D's to collapse, should we be surrounding him with more shooters? Would love to upgrade our small forward spot with a knockdown shooter, I wonder what AG could net us?
 
But his mechanics were smooth, that's most important for consistency in the NBA... Still, he looks a hell of a lot better in his range of motion than when he was at Phily, I can see him slowly getting back that smooth release as the season progresses and when it happens it's over.

How long do we keep JI at the 3 and Aminu on the bench? With Fultz drawing defenders and forcing D's to collapse, should we be surrounding him with more shooters? Would love to upgrade our small forward spot with a knockdown shooter, I wonder what AG could net us?
Not many decent ones available. Otto Porter jr could be an option
 

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tige19

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Only two years left on it though

Yep, he is young as well and a lenghty/elite defender... I am just starting to feel that we haven't got the perfect mix with JI and AG, we really have a higher ceiling with JI and it's not being developed at 3.
 

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Interesting stat which may effect us competing on the boards, we are the 4th tallest team at an average of 200.8cm in the league but have lightest collective team at 95.5kgs, compare that with the Bucks who are at 101.7kg as an average. The Bucks will be very hard to beat, they will physically demoralise teams, much like how they wore down the Rockets today, they are almost my tip to win the Championship.
 
Interesting stat which may effect us competing on the boards, we are the 4th tallest team at an average of 200.8cm in the league but have lightest collective team at 95.5kgs, compare that with the Bucks who are at 101.7kg as an average. The Bucks will be very hard to beat, they will physically demoralise teams, much like how they wore down the Rockets today, they are almost my tip to win the Championship.
The Bucks have a lot of grown ass men compared to us. I wouldn't be surprised if we have one of, if not the youngest team in the league
 

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The Bucks have a lot of grown ass men compared to us. I wouldn't be surprised if we have one of, if not the youngest team in the league

funnily enough we are ranked about 20th for age, only about 10 teams younger than us although from where we sit to the youngest is only about 16 months.. Rockets are almost 5 years older than us as an average, they are the oldest.
 
funnily enough we are ranked about 20th for age, only about 10 teams younger than us although from where we sit to the youngest is only about 16 months.. Rockets are almost 5 years older than us as an average, they are the oldest.
oh really? Just checked our roster and we have Birch 27, Jefferson 26, Josh Magette 29. Figured those guys were younger. Our longboi core is pretty young though with JI 22, Bamba 21, Fultz 21, AG 24
 

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But his mechanics were smooth, that's most important for consistency in the NBA... Still, he looks a hell of a lot better in his range of motion than when he was at Phily, I can see him slowly getting back that smooth release as the season progresses and when it happens it's over.

How long do we keep JI at the 3 and Aminu on the bench? With Fultz drawing defenders and forcing D's to collapse, should we be surrounding him with more shooters? Would love to upgrade our small forward spot with a knockdown shooter, I wonder what AG could net us?

I would have thought Terrence Ross would have been good enough on his own.
 

tige19

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Shocking again on offence today.. AG looks to have regressed early on, I’ll just sit tight on that thought to much but early signs aren’t great.

We could not guard Trae, he dominate in the pick.. Markelle wasn’t to bad but DJ was torched all night, DJ a big liability as a defender.

Vuc made some terrible decisions, multiple times he didn’t go straight up to put in a lay up or dunk and preferred to pump fake which doesn’t fool any decent defender, Collins literally monstered him time and again.

We really need Fultz to keep developing his shot which again looked better, we Need him as a shot creator big time.

2 games now we have failed to reach 100, and against average defences, ominous signs.
 

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Shocking again on offence today.. AG looks to have regressed early on, I’ll just sit tight on that thought to much but early signs aren’t great.

We could not guard Trae, he dominate in the pick.. Markelle wasn’t to bad but DJ was torched all night, DJ a big liability as a defender.

Vuc made some terrible decisions, multiple times he didn’t go straight up to put in a lay up or dunk and preferred to pump fake which doesn’t fool any decent defender, Collins literally monstered him time and again.

We really need Fultz to keep developing his shot which again looked better, we Need him as a shot creator big time.

2 games now we have failed to reach 100, and against average defences, ominous signs.

When Fultz isn't initiating him standing in the corner is a liability. Yes he can't do it all the time, but this was his exact issue at Philly because of Simmon's ball dominance.

In saying that, him going at 40% from 3 today was a step in the right direction.

Edit: I'll add that Terrence Ross starting the season slow is pinching you a bit too.
 

tige19

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When Fultz isn't initiating him standing in the corner is a liability. Yes he can't do it all the time, but this was his exact issue at Philly because of Simmon's ball dominance.

In saying that, him going at 40% from 3 today was a step in the right direction.

Edit: I'll add that Terrence Ross starting the season slow is pinching you a bit too.

His stroke looked smooth and mechanics an improvement on his first game.. he was never a knock 3pt shooter in college and he’ll never be that in the pros, but if he can 35% then he forces the D to commit to him which allows him to blow past or space them. Either way, he’ll be starting soon and you can tell he is a volume guy on offence, I expect him to be taking 15-18 shots a game and with his play making could soon be a 20-8-4 type of player.
 

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