Official Game Thread : Magic vs Nets Part 2

[jjgator 164]

Aaron Gordon MVP

[Optimist Prime 197]

24 minutes ago, Payton4thewin said:

Hard to say because it was at the end where things get choppy with timeouts.  It worked.  I wouldn't play it too often.  Its a 4 minute ***** you up lineup

It’s the Magic version of GSW lineup of death, but more like lineup of mortal wounding.

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

2 minutes ago, ~O~ said:

Who is truly responsible for the current growth?  That's the question for me. Is it a year of coaching staff development?  Is the front office instilling a new premise of this teams identity?  Is it the players approach to the game.

Is it all of this?   

It's everything.  Vogel is doing a good job.  Pace fits the athletes on the team. We started switching screens more often and its given us periods of fantastic defense (though still needs a lot of work). The roster is more balanced.  We use a 9 man rotation which works better. We're using Fournier better, taking it out of his hands and just running him off screens where he's attacking a defense that's unbalanced instead of having him try to create. Gordon is playing within his game instead of forcing things.  Simmons gets to the line a lot which was a long time weakness of ours.  Vucevic is playing better defense and has been more active. 

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

 Oh and continuity.  I think it just helps having the same coach two years in a row

[Mauro Pedrosa 1,031]

19 minutes ago, ~O~ said:

Ok.  Gordon with 41 points. Vucevic having an elite season.....3-1?... comebacks and blowout victories.  What have I missed?

Are they serious?  I guess I'll watch a full magic game for once which i haven't happened in a year.  I stop taking the team seriously.  Someone enlighten me.  I'm ignorant to all this now.  

Reason for our success:

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

Oh.  Evan had 28 on 9-15 shooting. Thats crazy

[Odin 137]

6 minutes ago, Mauro Pedrosa said:

Reason for our success:

He needs a PG who can get him the ball in catch and shoot situations- which isn’t there in the 2nd unit. He had a nice pass today though to Biyombo.

[~O~ 565]

9 minutes ago, Payton4thewin said:

It's everything.  Vogel is doing a good job.  Pace fits the athletes on the team. We started switching screens more often and its given us periods of fantastic defense (though still needs a lot of work). The roster is more balanced.  We use a 9 man rotation which works better. We're using Fournier better, taking it out of his hands and just running him off screens where he's attacking a defense that's unbalanced instead of having him try to create. Gordon is playing within his game instead of forcing things.  Simmons gets to the line a lot which was a long time weakness of ours.  Vucevic is playing better defense and has been more active. 

In this one instance of a highlight video, Aaron Gordon looked elite.  Compared to two years ago, where he wasn't confident in his handle and hesitated on his shot, Gordon looks much comfortable and confident in what he wants to do with the ball.  Gordon is very much in control of himself and looks like a completely different player.  I truly need to watch full games to know the team strategy for Simmons, Fournier, and Vucevic.  

Looks like Bismack is the current chris duhon, Mario Kasun, etc.  Its ok.  We'll always have a player like that.  Cliche impediments.

Switching is truly modern basketball and I'm elated we're finally doing it..but with confidence to defend.   Consistency is not what we had with previous coaches as far as rotations go. Simmons as I in a previous post was a solid signing that I didn't expect.  With the attitude he brought to the Spurs, I truly hoped he would rub off on our players here.  Truly, the thought was that he would sign and become a "don't worry, be happy" player here that wouldn't take anything seriously.  Seems like everything to ensure success.  FOR NOW.  I have learned my lesson about calling it too early.  

[TheNameIsOrlando 310]

48 minutes ago, Payton4thewin said:

 also.  Told you guys Gordon was going to surprise people this year

You definitely were the first guy to call it. I remember early on you talked about Gianis coming out in his 4th year and said Gordon had a chance a similar rise. 

[Mauro Pedrosa 1,031]

14 minutes ago, Odin said:

He needs a PG who can get him the ball in catch and shoot situations- which isn’t there in the 2nd unit. He had a nice pass today though to Biyombo.

Yeah. I watched a lot of Barcelona games when Hezonja was there and he was deadly on catch and shoot situations.

I think Hezonja has to learn from players like Korver or even Fournier, who doesn't go too fancy with his dribbles but is effective, without turning the ball over too much.

[~O~ 565]

19 minutes ago, Mauro Pedrosa said:

Reason for our success:

Nah.  I'll truly take that game seriously if we come out the east against the Lebron.  It seems like our future problem will truly be the Bucks and the 76ers along with Boston.  

[Odin 137]

57 minutes ago, Payton4thewin said:

 also.  Told you guys Gordon was going to surprise people this year

I think I have been on this train since the start as well. Still think Gordon might end up being the best player from his draft, though he has competition from Embiid, Wiggins, and Jokic.