Official Gamethread: OKC VS ORL

[Franchero MVP 391]

Josh Robbins ‏@JoshuaBRobbins 16h16 hours ago

Victor Oladipo: "It was one of the best games I've ever played in. I would like to have won it."

 

Josh Robbins ‏@JoshuaBRobbins 3h3 hours ago

It's clear the Magic still have many steps to take late in games. The most basic: not worrying about losing late in games.

 

Josh Robbins ‏@JoshuaBRobbins 3h3 hours ago

This is a case, it seems, where all the losses from the last 3 years have led to a "Here we go again" mentality.

 

Josh Robbins ‏@JoshuaBRobbins 3h3 hours ago

In close games, Magic players said they have to start thinking about "playing to win" instead of "playing not to lose."

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

In the first two games we have shown we can win two completely different types of games: an ugly crappy "defensive" game and a crazy shootout against one of the most talented teams in the league. So that's cool. Also, happy birthday, space elf.

 

The sky wise story is one of my favorite moments on this message board

[ILoveOrlandoMagic 12]

I am back! Miss me? :D

 

I will be at the Bulls game and if Magic chokes and lose for the 3rd time in a row, Skiles need to be fired! Not even Jacquez Vaughn choked 3 times in a row and lost!

[jjgator 164]

Gators shoutout, sorry had to. I'm loving McElwain, he's cool, calm, and a great sport. He says this is just cool after every game, keeps it close to the chest. Just gotta get Vandy and/or SC and its back to Atlanta. I know there are a lot of Noles fans here. I'm rooting for you next week against Clemson. I don't want to look ahead, but I'm always nervous against the Noles because I grew up in the 90s.

[Catman 380]

Few people picked the Magic to win last night before the game, that is true. But once they were up by 18 to start the 4th quarter, the equation changed. Had the Magic just gotten beaten, people wouldn't be as concerned. To blow significant 4th quarter leads two games in a row is different, and does raise concerns.

 

Again, the "miracle shot" was the 40th-42nd points Oklahoma scored in the fourth quarter. The other 39, which weren't on miracle shots, contributed equally to the loss.

 

No it doesn't change in the 4th quarter. Its not like you make a prediction and then can change it halfway through a game. The reality is I don't think that many people are concerned as much as they are excited that we finally have a team that has some promise.

 

You just said if the team got crushed it would not be a concern. But since they barely lost and gave up a run at the end to one of the best teams in the NBA we should be worried about them? That makes such little sense to me. I'd much rather barely lose a game then get run at home like everyone expected. There is a lot more optimism for this team after last night. Its a lot easier to fix the high screen issue than it is to fix getting blown out. Thats just common sense.

 

oh so that's how we are going to judge this team? by whether we think they should win before the game starts? yes i expect to win with an 18 point lead in the 4th quarter, the point is westbrook got a wide open shot because vooch for some bizarre reason was covering him and we didn't foul.

 

Yeah exactly. We will judge this team by them showing us they are very close to playing with the best teams in the league. We have barely lost either game. Last year we were getting blown out by mid level teams by the 3rd quarter. It's tough to be this negative, but you continue to pull it off.

 

This is a really good detailed article on the Magic with some interesting perspective posted :

 

http://patternofbasketball.blogspot.ca/2015/10/thunder-vs-magic.html

 

Some things discussed -

 

Vuc not defending well behind high screens and getting exposed in the 4th q.

Oladipo playing super 6th man or playing the 1 since the offense has changed.

A starting lineup of Vic, Mario, Evan,Harris,Vuc

Discussion of how Harris at the 4 forced OKC to go small to have a chance

[KRISH10 103]

1446343910[/url]' post='1017221']

No it doesn't change in the 4th quarter. Its not like you make a prediction and then can change it halfway through a game. The reality is I don't think that many people are concerned as much as they are excited that we finally have a team that has some promise.

 

You just said if the team got crushed it would not be a concern. But since they barely lost and gave up a run at the end to one of the best teams in the NBA we should be worried about them? That makes such little sense to me. I'd much rather barely lose a game then get run at home like everyone expected. There is a lot more optimism for this team after last night. Its a lot easier to fix the high screen issue than it is to fix getting blown out. Thats just common sense.

 

 

 

Yeah exactly. We will judge this team by them showing us they are very close to playing with the best teams in the league. We have barely lost either game. Last year we were getting blown out by mid level teams by the 3rd quarter. It's tough to be this negative, but you continue to pull it off.

 

This is a really good detailed article on the Magic with some interesting perspective posted :

 

http://patternofbask...r-vs-magic.html

 

Some things discussed -

 

Vuc not defending well behind high screens and getting exposed in the 4th q.

Oladipo playing super 6th man or playing the 1 since the offense has changed.

A starting lineup of Vic, Mario, Evan,Harris,Vuc

Discussion of how Harris at the 4 forced OKC to go small to have a chance

 

Any article mentioning taking EP out of the starting lineup is not worth reading especially now that his shot is falling... Dude is a beast!

 

 

 

[God Hates Otis Smith 153]

mario is not ready to start....he is still way to lost on defense, he needs time

[Franchero MVP 391]

mario is not ready to start....he is still way to lost on defense, he needs time

 

He also turns the ball over way too much. Once he gets used to the NBA he will replace Fournier in the starting line up and down the stretch when we need someone to score.

[JJZFL 620]

No it doesn't change in the 4th quarter. Its not like you make a prediction and then can change it halfway through a game. The reality is I don't think that many people are concerned as much as they are excited that we finally have a team that has some promise.

 

You just said if the team got crushed it would not be a concern. But since they barely lost and gave up a run at the end to one of the best teams in the NBA we should be worried about them? That makes such little sense to me. I'd much rather barely lose a game then get run at home like everyone expected. There is a lot more optimism for this team after last night. Its a lot easier to fix the high screen issue than it is to fix getting blown out. Thats just common sense.

 

 

You're making some assumptions in your response that aren't correct.

 

First, I didn't make any prediction before the game started. By the start of the fourth quarter, with the team up 18, I believed we should win the game. So did Scott Skiles and a lot of other people. That we didn't is a concern, particularly since last year the team blew a lot of games late because of lack of mental toughness. Don't take my word for it. Listen to Skiles post-game interview. He's worried about the same thing.

 

Second, I didn't say if the team got "crushed" that would not be a concern. I said "beaten". Had we been blown out, yes, that would also concern me.

 

Of course, it's only two games. Not an auspicious start but certainly not the end of the world. Question is if the team can correct the mental part, and stop "wilting", as Skiles described it in the post-game interview, at the end of games.

[Catman 380]

You're making some assumptions in your response that aren't correct.

 

First, I didn't make any prediction before the game started. By the start of the fourth quarter, with the team up 18, I believed we should win the game. So did Scott Skiles and a lot of other people. That we didn't is a concern, particularly since last year the team blew a lot of games late because of lack of mental toughness. Don't take my word for it. Listen to Skiles post-game interview. He's worried about the same thing.

 

Second, I didn't say if the team got "crushed" that would not be a concern. I said "beaten". Had we been blown out, yes, that would also concern me.

 

Of course, it's only two games. Not an auspicious start but certainly not the end of the world. Question is if the team can correct the mental part, and stop "wilting", as Skiles described it in the post-game interview, at the end of games.

 

Please don't compare your mindset with Skiles. You have been negative about the team the entire process. The difference with Skiles is he is positive and wants to make changes because he knows we can win these games.

 

Simply based on your post history, you do not believe in what the magic are doing. Totally different story.

 

I do think the team can correct the mental part, but those who think this stuff happens over night need to have a reality check.

[Skywise316 211]

In the first two games we have shown we can win two completely different types of games: an ugly crappy "defensive" game and a crazy shootout against one of the most talented teams in the league. So that's cool. Also, happy birthday, space elf.

 

LOL thanks man.

 

Blowing two 4th quarter leads is definitely concerning, but we also can't forget two things. It's Oklahoma City, and not the one-star-or-the-other injured version from last year, either. I personally think it'll be GSW & OKC in the Western Conference Finals..

 

Also, no one can blame the Magic for Westbrook's shot, that's just silliness. Not only was it from FOURTY feet, but Tobias even got a hand up on it.

 

The Magic, 98% of the time, win the game by three! They did enough to get the W, and that's in spite of it being an 8 on 5 handicap match.

 

Also I would go with Gordon instead of Fournier, slide Harris to the 3.

[FloridaHoosierGirl 1]

Went to the game last night and noticed they put free Orlando Magic magnets on all the cars parked in the Geico garage....is that something they typically do every game? Just wondering.

They did it opening night and then Friday night. We went to 11 games last year and never got a magnet so IDK if they will continue it. I'm thinking it was just for Opening Week.