Game Thread: Orlando Magic @ Atlanta Hawks

[Jay Magic 1,251]

"They've got to want to do it," coach Scott Skiles said. "They've got to believe it's important. They know how to do it. It's drilled and worked on every single day. But then when the game starts, you've got to want to go out and do it, and it's hard. We look like on occasion right now it might be too hard for us, and that's very worrisome for me."

 

That is concerning for sure.

[Jay Magic 1,251]

@OMagicDaily The Magic have the worst offensive rating in the league in the month of January. So many problems to fix right now.

[Jay Magic 1,251]

"There's nothing to say, really," swingman Evan Fournier said. "It's very disappointing the way we're playing right now. We just lost our flow, our rhythm. We were playing great basketball 15 games ago, and now we're playing bad basketball."

[Jay Magic 1,251]

How do they return to how they looked as recently as late December?

 

"Good question," Fournier answered. "I think we've got to stay positive. There's no way we're going to go back to losing like we did last year. We've got to stay positive. We've got to still trust in ourselves. We had a very good record not too long ago. We're still the same team. We've just got to get back to it. I don't know how, but ... "

 

Then Fournier's voice trailed off.

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

Porzingis is an 7'3 shot blocking, rebounding, 3 point shooter who moves like an tall SF and has an high IQ. You don't let that pass if he was there. I think they knew he wasn't going to be there and we're happy getting Mario but I firmly believe he was the first option if he fell to us.

 

Sure, but you have no evidence to support your belief.

 

I just think if his foot fell off back in October we'd be saying "Knicks were dumb, Hennigan wouldn't have taken Porzingis with the pick because of injury concerns".

[Jay Magic 1,251]

Skiles said his team looked "listless" from the outset. It played poor perimeter defense and busted too many coverages.

 

Afterward, a questioner asked Skiles if the Hawks' shooting percentage raised "red flags."

 

"Yeah," Skiles said. "There's been red flags for well over a month now. They're flopping all over the place in the wind right in front of us every single day, and we've got to try to find a way to do something about it."

 

That's the thing: Right now no one seems to know how to stop the slide.

[Jay Magic 1,251]

Skiles acknowledged that a lineup change for Wednesday's home game against the Philadelphia 76ers is possible.

 

"We're considering anything right now," Skiles said. "Everything we can possibly consider, we'll consider for sure."

 

One of the options Skiles and his coaching staff are considering is putting Gordon into the starting lineup in place of Channing Frye. But if the Magic do that, the team would run the risk of having not enough perimeter shooting on the floor and less-than-optimal spacing.

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

Skiles acknowledged that a lineup change for Wednesday's home game against the Philadelphia 76ers is possible.

 

"We're considering anything right now," Skiles said. "Everything we can possibly consider, we'll consider for sure."

 

One of the options Skiles and his coaching staff are considering is putting Gordon into the starting lineup in place of Channing Frye. But if the Magic do that, the team would run the risk of having not enough perimeter shooting on the floor and less-than-optimal spacing.

 

Gordon is now shooting 36% from threes (with half court heaves removed)

 

 

Obviously he's not a great shooter (sample size) but I would prefer giving him the opportunity rather than argue about hypothetical issues.

[Jay Magic 1,251]

Gordon is now shooting 36% from threes (with half court heaves removed)

 

 

Obviously he's not a great shooter (sample size) but I would prefer giving him the opportunity rather than argue about hypothetical issues.

 

Yep the time to start AG is now. I would even bench Evan if Dipo is back

[Magicman28 295]

Sure, but you have no evidence to support your belief.

 

I just think if his foot fell off back in October we'd be saying "Knicks were dumb, Hennigan wouldn't have taken Porzingis with the pick because of injury concerns".

 

 

Yeah I know. I just for the life of me can't see passing on him for more Frye but you could be absolutely right and Mario was the pick all along. Funny thing though, Henny was seen scouting Dragan Bender who's Porzingis like.

[Magicman28 295]

Gordon is now shooting 36% from threes (with half court heaves removed)

 

 

Obviously he's not a great shooter (sample size) but I would prefer giving him the opportunity rather than argue about hypothetical issues.

 

Yeah no kidding.

 

Fourniers response sorta irritates me. Be positive? Well sure but how about you d up an mf'er and stop handing the ball over to the opposing team on an platter? This isn't just some mental thing like the book Secret advises. You gotta perform too.

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

Yeah I know. I just for the life of me can't see passing on him for more Frye but you could be absolutely right and Mario was the pick all along. Funny thing though, Henny was seen scouting Dragan Bender who's Porzingis like.

 

Eh, bender is more potential pau gasol to Porzingis' potential Dirk