Bulls @ Magic 5pm CT

[BullChit]

I honestly didn't even know we had a game today... I have just reached that point of apathy for this current construction of the team that the schedule has Thanos'd out of my mind...

[Ice Man]

So, we shot 51% from the field and couldn't even manage 100 points. Sigh. Always a new way to lose.

[ChettheJet]

Another rerun of the same problem.

I normally like Stacey King but he's a total apologist when it comes to the lack of height on the roster. He keeps harping on how the Bulls need to block out, they have to pre rotate, and the guards have to rebound the complains about the mismatches when they switch. DeRozan is the biggest guy in the mix at 6-6, they can only block out so much, when they rotate or pre rotate or everybody moves they still end up on somebody taller, when they switch with Vuc everybody is too small for any center.

Either man up and say that they have a small team and they have to just work harder or stop acting like living the fantasy that if they make the right basketball play they suddenly grow 5 inches and can stop what's going to happen.

[Red8911]

Demar looking for a triple double via turnovers?

Sent from my SM-S911U using RealGM mobile app

Love how in his words he “feels out the game.”

Down 27-10 before he actually attempts and makes a shot. Played hot potatoe whole first quarter.

Total joke.

AK resigns DDR and I’m done. Won’t watch. Will be the same old crap.

He did have 30 pts though lol, what’s your problem with Demar ? You REALLY don’t like him for some reason.

Also most likely he will be resigning, he’s earned it.

[Rose2Boozer]

The off season can't get here fast enough for Coby White.

[drosestruts]

I remember early in the season when some people thought the Magic would fade and end up with a worse record than the Bulls.

Guilty. Well guilty of them fading, not sure i ever fully went that the Bulls would end up with a better record.

Also the season isn't over - they could still finish as the 7th seed. They play the Rockets, Bucks 2x, and 76ers. They could easily lose all 4 of those games.

But yes I remain perplexed by their success. They don't shoot the 3 (3rd fewest attempts per game, they don't shoot it well (9th worst 3P%). They're 15th in overall team TS% and Net Rating.

But they do play really hard - leading to the 2nd best Defensive Rating.

Their two best players post pretty poor efficiency Banchero - 55% TS% and Wagner - 57.5% TS%

They're a try hard version of the Bulls. They play with energy and effort. But they are in no ways a modern, efficient, NBA offense.

[kodo]

It's crazy they may be 2nd seed with how young they are, they're only 1 behind MIL who are on a losing streak.
This is better than they've ever been while treading water with Vucevic. The last time they had as many Ws was back with Dwight Howard.

[umfan83]

I remember when I used to go into other team's RealGM forums and look down on them for only having 2-3 page game threads, like wtf is wrong with that fanbase? Now that's us lol.

That said, I get that a lot of traditional message board traffic has navigated to twitter, Reddit and blogs, but still. This franchise desperately needs something to get excited about, and not the potential return of what's left of Lonzo Ball next year.

[MrSparkle]

Coby’s parabola’d back into a net-negative 14 PER player. Disappointing- I was hoping he’d make a push for 15-16. Many factors, but regardless, AK needs to have an honest conversation with himself about his pieces. Then again, no he doesn’t- he has the bags secured.

[Dan Z]

I remember early in the season when some people thought the Magic would fade and end up with a worse record than the Bulls.

Guilty. Well guilty of them fading, not sure i ever fully went that the Bulls would end up with a better record.

Also the season isn't over - they could still finish as the 7th seed. They play the Rockets, Bucks 2x, and 76ers. They could easily lose all 4 of those games.

But yes I remain perplexed by their success. They don't shoot the 3 (3rd fewest attempts per game, they don't shoot it well (9th worst 3P%). They're 15th in overall team TS% and Net Rating.

But they do play really hard - leading to the 2nd best Defensive Rating.

Their two best players post pretty poor efficiency Banchero - 55% TS% and Wagner - 57.5% TS%

They're a try hard version of the Bulls. They play with energy and effort. But they are in no ways a modern, efficient, NBA offense.

It's been a good season for them, even if they drop to 7th. Their young players will get playoff experience that they can build on for next year.

[pipfan]

Overmatched but still competed. No Caruso hurts.

I REALLY want us to tie ATL, then we get to host the 9/10 game and get a coin flip for the 10th spot in the lotto (slightly better odds and one pick higher)

[MrSparkle]

It’s been obvious since the 3rd time Wendell, Moritz and Franz took Vuc to school that the Magic were trending towards playoffs while we were trending towards Denzel Valentine.

I just want to know how salty AK is. Any competitor with half an ounce of shame would’ve tried to pivot away from the same bad result happening 3 years in a row. At least give the Magic a hard time. 5 losses in a row, 3 of which he had a single digit game scores (worse than Dalen Terry).

[Ice Man]

I just want to know how salty AK is. Any competitor with half an ounce of shame would’ve tried to pivot away from the same bad result happening 3 years in a row. At least give the Magic a hard time. 5 losses in a row, 3 of which he had a single digit game scores (worse than Dalen Terry).

Do you mean Vuc there, rather than AK?

[Dan Z]

Overmatched but still competed. No Caruso hurts.

I REALLY want us to tie ATL, then we get to host the 9/10 game and get a coin flip for the 10th spot in the lotto (slightly better odds and one pick higher)

Last time the Bulls had a coin flip we won, but it didn't work out so well.

[Chi town]

Demar looking for a triple double via turnovers?

Sent from my SM-S911U using RealGM mobile app

Love how in his words he “feels out the game.”

Down 27-10 before he actually attempts and makes a shot. Played hot potatoe whole first quarter.

Total joke.

AK resigns DDR and I’m done. Won’t watch. Will be the same old crap.

He did have 30 pts though lol, what’s your problem with Demar ? You REALLY don’t like him for some reason.

Also most likely he will be resigning, he’s earned it.

Empty calories. Stat hunting when we are blown out due to his complete lack of effort.

DDR raises our floor an inch and decreases our ceiling a foot. Still not a high ceiling but def solid playoff team if we replace him with 3D shooter.

As this stage he’s a complimentary closer. There is a reason no team wanted/s him. He kills your offense with snail pace and no 3s.

[MrSparkle]

I just want to know how salty AK is. Any competitor with half an ounce of shame would’ve tried to pivot away from the same bad result happening 3 years in a row. At least give the Magic a hard time. 5 losses in a row, 3 of which he had a single digit game scores (worse than Dalen Terry).

Do you mean Vuc there, rather than AK?

Vuc’s overly done. Now it’s the GM’s fault for holding onto his mistake. Should’ve sent him for a bag of croutons and let Drummond atleast get 20 rebounds.

[drosestruts]

I remember early in the season when some people thought the Magic would fade and end up with a worse record than the Bulls.

Guilty. Well guilty of them fading, not sure i ever fully went that the Bulls would end up with a better record.

Also the season isn't over - they could still finish as the 7th seed. They play the Rockets, Bucks 2x, and 76ers. They could easily lose all 4 of those games.

But yes I remain perplexed by their success. They don't shoot the 3 (3rd fewest attempts per game, they don't shoot it well (9th worst 3P%). They're 15th in overall team TS% and Net Rating.

But they do play really hard - leading to the 2nd best Defensive Rating.

Their two best players post pretty poor efficiency Banchero - 55% TS% and Wagner - 57.5% TS%

They're a try hard version of the Bulls. They play with energy and effort. But they are in no ways a modern, efficient, NBA offense.

It's been a good season for them, even if they drop to 7th. Their young players will get playoff experience that they can build on for next year.

Also they started the season 14-5, so the belief that they'd fade or at least not keep that pace going has certainly been true.

I do think there's often a common practice of people over appreciating other team's players from afar. A very "grass isn't always greener" type of situation.

Orlando plays hard and is young. We'll see how they look in the playoffs. And hopefully guys like Banchero and Wagner continue to get better and other young guys improve too. I think we're very quick to put ceilings on our players while allowing unlimited potential for other young players.

Banchero and Wagner are both high volume low efficiency players. Not your typical cornerstones. Both are likely on a path towards max contracts. Once they start costing real money and cap space opinions may change.

Zach went from 2x all-star, 3-years straight of 60+ TS% to "one of the worst contracts in the league" very quickly. Banchero is somehow already making all-star teams in his 2nd year.

[drosestruts]

Love how in his words he “feels out the game.”

Down 27-10 before he actually attempts and makes a shot. Played hot potatoe whole first quarter.

Total joke.

AK resigns DDR and I’m done. Won’t watch. Will be the same old crap.

He did have 30 pts though lol, what’s your problem with Demar ? You REALLY don’t like him for some reason.

Also most likely he will be resigning, he’s earned it.

Empty calories. Stat hunting when we are blown out due to his complete lack of effort.

DDR raises our floor an inch and decreases our ceiling a foot. Still not a high ceiling but def solid playoff team if we replace him with 3D shooter.

As this stage he’s a complimentary closer. There is a reason no team wanted/s him. He kills your offense with snail pace and no 3s.

I disagree with this very strongly and feel like we're watching completely different games. We were able to pull within 6 in the 4th because of DeMar.

Replacing DeMar with a 3&D player does not make this team better.

Coby had two points at half time. I'd love to know how that was DeMar's fault.

Vuc is a flat-out bad basketball player and a liability on the court - again, nothing to do with DeMar.

[KissedByaRose1]

I really hate this team. We deserve better. Praying to get bounced in the first play in game so we at least have a 12% chance at a top 4 pick and can get a new GM in here to do a proper rebuild. Sigh.

[Dan Z]

Guilty. Well guilty of them fading, not sure i ever fully went that the Bulls would end up with a better record.

Also the season isn't over - they could still finish as the 7th seed. They play the Rockets, Bucks 2x, and 76ers. They could easily lose all 4 of those games.

But yes I remain perplexed by their success. They don't shoot the 3 (3rd fewest attempts per game, they don't shoot it well (9th worst 3P%). They're 15th in overall team TS% and Net Rating.

But they do play really hard - leading to the 2nd best Defensive Rating.

Their two best players post pretty poor efficiency Banchero - 55% TS% and Wagner - 57.5% TS%

They're a try hard version of the Bulls. They play with energy and effort. But they are in no ways a modern, efficient, NBA offense.

It's been a good season for them, even if they drop to 7th. Their young players will get playoff experience that they can build on for next year.

Also they started the season 14-5, so the belief that they'd fade or at least not keep that pace going has certainly been true.

I do think there's often a common practice of people over appreciating other team's players from afar. A very "grass isn't always greener" type of situation.

Orlando plays hard and is young. We'll see how they look in the playoffs. And hopefully guys like Banchero and Wagner continue to get better and other young guys improve too. I think we're very quick to put ceilings on our players while allowing unlimited potential for other young players.

Banchero and Wagner are both high volume low efficiency players. Not your typical cornerstones. Both are likely on a path towards max contracts. Once they start costing real money and cap space opinions may change.

Zach went from 2x all-star, 3-years straight of 60+ TS% to "one of the worst contracts in the league" very quickly. Banchero is somehow already making all-star teams in his 2nd year.

I didn't realize they started 14-5. No way they were going to keep that pace.

As for "grass is greener" part of it for Bulls fans is the Vucevic trade. The Magic got two lottery picks and an okay player (WCJ) in that deal.

Will they improve? Who knows, but they have potential and room to improve their team. That's something I wish the Bulls had.