Cavaliers vs Magic Series General Discussion Thread

[eyriq]

IMO regardless of how the rest of the playoffs go, I think it's time the Magic move on from Fultz & Cole (and Carter to me, though I'd be ok i guess if he's back).

Good learnings.

A starting guard and center are glaring gaps. Both backup guard spots are needs.

Isaac and Moe off the bench have affirmed their value.

Out of the current rotation only Franz, Paolo, Suggs, Moe, and Isaac are keepers.

I would still put a decent amount of effort on keeping / developing Black + Howard. Even if to me its starting to not bode well for their long term chances.

I'm more optimistic about Jett than I was when we drafted him due to his G-League performance, even though I have no Idea how to evaluate G-League performance. Regarding AB, his defense translating to the NBA and his shooting improving drastically has me sky high on him. He's also shown that he can get to the line. He's a stud, only slightly behind Suggs in terms of value IMO.

[JoshuaPotter]

Good learnings.

A starting guard and center are glaring gaps. Both backup guard spots are needs.

Isaac and Moe off the bench have affirmed their value.

Out of the current rotation only Franz, Paolo, Suggs, Moe, and Isaac are keepers.

I would still put a decent amount of effort on keeping / developing Black + Howard. Even if to me its starting to not bode well for their long term chances.

I'm more optimistic about Jett than I was when we drafted him due to his G-League performance, even though I have no Idea how to evaluate G-League performance. Regarding AB, his defense translating to the NBA and his shooting improving drastically has me sky high on him. He's also shown that he can get to the line. He's a stud, only slightly behind Suggs in terms of value IMO.

I think Black has a higher ceiling then Suggs overall and Suggs is no slouch.

Black just got buried behind a team with playoff aspirations. The time we did get to see from him was a bug turned into a feature. Completely unplanned.

[RookieStar]

So I told you guys about my neighbor who is a huge Magic fan and was in the hospital. A few days ago they called in his kids and grandkids and great grandkids because they thought it was done for. His heart was going, he was still bleeding internally and it was pretty much over. Dude still wanted the Magic game on and AdventHealth DOESNT TELEVISE THE GAMES to the rooms. I met with his wife and got iheartradio on his phone so he could listen to the game on the radio, which he did. I can proudly announce that he survived his emergency bypass surgery and came home a few hours ago. I just got home from helping him in and sitting with him and he said nothing is stopping him from watching game 6 on TV tomorrow.

GO MAGIC.

The news would 100% do a story on him and you if you contact them. They love stories like that to try and balance the soul crushing negativity that the rest of the news is, lol.

The guy is wildly interesting. He was a pro baseball player in his youth, then went and became an engineer. Has schematics from a lot of his works including that giant IKEA in Miami, an airport down in the Bahamas, and huge swaths of the hospital on Rollins. He also was a coach for UF's softball team and one of his players lived on the other side of our neighborhood. He also had two kids born on the same year and day with two different women that he calls twins (I met the son and he didn't find that as funny) and told me that he "should have kept his bedroom locked better". I say all that to say this, I don't think he is really the kind of guy that would want the spotlight, he would much rather heal up, go to sonny's, and playfully flirt with the waitresses. Although he is already annoyed with the heart pillow they gave him to shield his chest because the color doesn't match his style, so I think he is on the mend just fine.

I don't wanna sound like a DICK here BUT shouldn't a guy in a heart operation NOT watch something so stressful just in case * knowcks on wood* we lose Game 6? I mean, dunno about you guys but im def stressed when CLE goes on a run or I see PB get loses the ball again LOL. Let him relax and look forward to the draft/ FA so he will be mildly excited next season?

[fendilim]

I would still put a decent amount of effort on keeping / developing Black + Howard. Even if to me its starting to not bode well for their long term chances.

I'm more optimistic about Jett than I was when we drafted him due to his G-League performance, even though I have no Idea how to evaluate G-League performance. Regarding AB, his defense translating to the NBA and his shooting improving drastically has me sky high on him. He's also shown that he can get to the line. He's a stud, only slightly behind Suggs in terms of value IMO.

I think Black has a higher ceiling then Suggs overall and Suggs is no slouch.

Black just got buried behind a team with playoff aspirations. The time we did get to see from him was a bug turned into a feature. Completely unplanned.

Black has higher ceiling but Suggs has a better motor. Unmatched, imo.

[Message Boar]

Am I reading this right, we play on Sunday at 1 eastern, but then there's 0 evening games on Sunday? I guess they were holding a spot for a Mavs-Clips game 7, but damn. I guess you can't just flex a ticketed event like that but a lack of flexibility is showing, along with Cavs-Magic being the red-headed stepchild of first round series to the NBA. Oh well, it might work out, Cleveland looked more tired out there than us by the end of game 6.

[drsd]

Two points:

point 1: there are only nine teams in the 2023/24 season that can win the NBA title, and Orlando is in that list!

point 2: Orlando is 3-1 in its last 4 games. And the only loss was a 1-point nail biter. Can you say "momentum"?

[drsd]

Am I reading this right, we play on Sunday at 1 eastern, but then there's 0 evening games on Sunday? I guess they were holding a spot for a Mavs-Clips game 7, but damn. I guess you can't just flex a ticketed event like that but a lack of flexibility is showing, along with Cavs-Magic being the red-headed stepchild of first round series to the NBA. Oh well, it might work out, Cleveland looked more tired out there than us by the end of game 6.

To restate: there is NOTHING new that NBA fans can do this whole weekend except watch the Magic play!

Time to make a statement.

[eyriq]

Am I reading this right, we play on Sunday at 1 eastern, but then there's 0 evening games on Sunday? I guess they were holding a spot for a Mavs-Clips game 7, but damn. I guess you can't just flex a ticketed event like that but a lack of flexibility is showing, along with Cavs-Magic being the red-headed stepchild of first round series to the NBA. Oh well, it might work out, Cleveland looked more tired out there than us by the end of game 6.

LOL why would they do that?

[Knightro]

I think Black has a higher ceiling than Suggs overall and Suggs is no slouch.

Spicy.

[tooler]

I'm really impressed and happy with how the Magic have played this series, but it also shows how far they have to go and what kind of scoring talent they need. The Cavs are banged up and missing some good players.

This is a lot like the discussion we had on how it might be more difficult to reach the 5 seed next season without some roster changes or the big 3 stepping up their games significantly.

[drsd]

Magic.com uploaded a different Magic - Cavs game-6. In completion!
( the end of this game was such a joke )
This is the game Howard beat James for Orlando to qualify to the NBA Finals.

Watch on YouTube

[ChosenSavior]

This is interesting with Markelle...

Read on Twitter

[eyriq]

This is interesting with Markelle...

Read on Twitter

Hmmm, really interesting. Doesn't change any of the narrative or calculus about his fit imo, but it's different from knee tendinitis.

[J the Drafter]

This is interesting with Markelle...

Read on Twitter

That’s really good to know. Playing on a fractured knee sounds dangerous, and a good way to mess up your long term health. If Fultz’s knee was injured I wish he’d have sat out, even if the lack of bench production cost us playoff seeding or the series against the Cavs.

[zaymon]

This is interesting with Markelle...

Read on Twitter

Thing is he was as explosive as ever after he returned from injury. He just refused to shoot, had hitches and tics, forgot how to pass and didnt defend. Only thing that was same as always was his thunderous dunks in transition. Nothing seems to add up as always in Fultz case.

[Knightro]

Read on Twitter

[Bensational]

Magic are ranked 4th in NetRtg in the playoffs at 8.1, behind Boston, OKC and Minnesota.

That is a phenomenal result.

[ogmagicfan]

This is interesting with Markelle...

Read on Twitter

Thing is he was as explosive as ever after he returned from injury. He just refused to shoot, had hitches and tics, forgot how to pass and didnt defend. Only thing that was same as always was his thunderous dunks in transition. Nothing seems to add up as always in Fultz case.

eh I think he hasnt been as explosive on either sides of the ball, esp keeping up with his man defensively. he was never a good defender but theres been a definitive drop off defensively this season

this shouldnt change the fact that he isnt the PG of the future for the Magic

i dont think this shoul

[eyriq]

Magic are ranked 4th in NetRtg in the playoffs at 8.1, behind Boston, OKC and Minnesota.

That is a phenomenal result.

If we can get Suggs and Franz to step up on the road...

[rcklsscognition]

Gary Harris and Allen both listed as questionable for G7 as of 1 hour ago. Someone was saying Franz punctured Allen’s rib or something like that, not a lung, but some Cavs sports analyst mentioned it. Allen did individual shootaround prior to g6 but didn’t participate in team practice.