Magic @ Mavericks - Wednesday, Nov. 6th at 8:30 P.M.

[LaVar 108]

3 minutes ago, ML6 said:

The shooting thing is just really unfortunate and I can't get over it.  Everyone having career-worst slumps simultaneously leads us to a 2-6 start rather than a 5-3, 6-2, 7-1 start.  

The worst part for me with these shooting woes going on has been just flat out knowing that we have essentially 0 chance of making an important crunch time go-ahead basket right now.  Even with the ball and only a 1 point deficit last night I didn't ever feel like we were going to score.  We've wilted in crunch time now in every loss except Milwaukee. 5 of 6 losses with a chance to win late.  Let's recap:

Atlanta -- Tie game, 1:30 left.  Fournier missed 3.  Vucevic blocked at the rim by Huerter (my god).  Fournier missed 3.  Game.
Toronto -- Up 1, 3:03 left.  Ross missed 3.  Fultz missed 3.  Toronto now up 97-91.  Game.
Denver -- Down 1, 3:00 left.  We get a steal, but then Isaac runs into Fultz to create our own turnover in transition.  Next possession we dribble around doing nothing, Fournier ends up with the ball with 4 left on the shotclock, and instead of trying to do anything, jacks a 32 footer -- brick.  Isaac missed 3.  Fournier makes 2.  Now we're down 3 with the ball, but Vooch commits on offensive foul.  Game.
OKC -- Down 1, 4:40 left.  Gordon missed 3.  Markelle turnover.  Gordon offensive foul.  Now down 8 with 1:56 left.  Game.
Dallas -- we all saw what happened.

We were supposed to make progress in late game execution after last year.  Instead, so far this team looks like the early Tobias/Oladipo teams that found ways to lose on so many occasions.  And it is just made so much worse knowing that even if we shot "below average" rather than "historically awful", we might be in position to be able to make these mistakes and still win.

I agree. We also need ross healthly because he was a big factor for us last year. 

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

13 minutes ago, ML6 said:

The shooting thing is just really unfortunate and I can't get over it.  Everyone having career-worst slumps simultaneously leads us to a 2-6 start rather than a 5-3, 6-2, 7-1 start.  

The worst part for me with these shooting woes going on has been just flat out knowing that we have essentially 0 chance of making an important crunch time go-ahead basket right now.  Even with the ball and only a 1 point deficit last night I didn't ever feel like we were going to score.  We've wilted in crunch time now in every loss except Milwaukee, which was a blowout. 5 of 6 losses with a chance to win late!  Let's recap:

Atlanta -- Tie game, 1:30 left.  Fournier missed 3.  Vucevic blocked at the rim by Huerter (my god).  Fournier missed 3.  Game.
Toronto -- Up 1, 3:03 left.  Ross missed 3.  Fultz missed 3.  Toronto now up 97-91.  Game.
Denver -- Down 1, 3:00 left.  We get a steal, but then Isaac runs into Fultz to create our own turnover in transition.  Next possession we dribble around doing nothing, Fournier ends up with the ball with 4 left on the shotclock, and instead of trying to do anything, jacks a 32 footer -- brick.  Isaac missed 3.  Fournier makes 2.  Now we're down 3 with the ball, but Vooch commits on offensive foul.  Game.
OKC -- Down 1, 4:40 left.  Gordon missed 3.  Markelle turnover.  Gordon offensive foul.  Now down 8 with 1:56 left.  Game.
Dallas -- we all saw what happened.

We were supposed to make progress in late game execution after last year.  Instead, so far this team looks like the early Tobias/Oladipo teams that found ways to lose on so many occasions.  And it is just made so much worse knowing that even if we shot "below average" rather than "historically awful", we might be in position to be able to make these mistakes and still win.

I think last night was a normal sub-par game that we would have lost regardless and we would have shrugged off had we picked up a win or two earlier. Everyone had typical shooting games expected of their skill set. Gordon went 1-5 but most of those weren't real shot attempts. 

Fultz, MCW, iwundu, aminu went 0-9 but that's not unusual for those players. It's weird when Ross, augustin, Fournier, vuc go 2-17 against a poor defensive team like Atlanta. Not as weird when streaky shooters are streaky

[Magicman28 295]

We have an identity and Fournier and Vuch conflict that.

[ML6 520]

38 minutes ago, Fultz4thewin said:

I think last night was a normal sub-par game that we would have lost regardless and we would have shrugged off had we picked up a win or two earlier. Everyone had typical shooting games expected of their skill set. Gordon went 1-5 but most of those weren't real shot attempts. 

Fultz, MCW, iwundu, aminu went 0-9 but that's not unusual for those players. It's weird when Ross, augustin, Fournier, vuc go 2-17 against a poor defensive team like Atlanta. Not as weird when streaky shooters are streaky

From a bad shooters shooting poorly perspective, you're right, last night is not the best example of my overall point that shooting is killing us.

However, last night is probably the foremost example of us not capitalizing or executing offensively in a winnable game down the stretch.  We got multiple crunch time stops and we saw how the last few possessions went. They left the door wide open and we slammed it on our fingers.

[magicdoc1 261]

When  is a good time to start discussing next year lottery draft players? Lol. 

[harley 61]

4 hours ago, Catalina Maria said:

Fournier and Vuc really need to go. The game is different without those two. We look fast. Mobile. Hungry. 

We all agree on this. It’s so hard to watch. You just Hope management can see this 

[Catalina Maria 64]

2 hours ago, Magicman28 said:

We have an identity and Fournier and Vuch conflict that.

Amen

[Catalina Maria 64]

I think management will wait to flip Vuc and Fournier. Use the first half of the season to prove once again that they are not a fit. Maybe ownership is too blind to see it and management wanted to show them for half a season how these two players do not fit our identity. I don’t think management is that blind to see it. I mean, they can’t be that dumb amirite?

[harley 61]

6 minutes ago, Catalina Maria said:

I think management will wait to flip Vuc and Fournier. Use the first half of the season to prove once again that they are not a fit. Maybe ownership is too blind to see it and management wanted to show them for half a season how these two players do not fit our identity. I don’t think management is that blind to see it. I mean, they can’t be that dumb amirite?

I’m starting to have my doubts. They did give Vooch 100mill over four years. This really has the ability to hamper us for a while, and the Aminu signing is mind boggling. We have four of the same who are younger and better. 

[TrueMagicFan07 661]

6 hours ago, Catalina Maria said:

It also goes on defense. In the second half they targeted Gordon, picked him off, and Doncic drove in fearless in the face of weak and timid Vuc.

The real Vuc has returned post contract year. Fools gold in the flesh! 

 

 

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

23 minutes ago, harley said:

I’m starting to have my doubts. They did give Vooch 100mill over four years. This really has the ability to hamper us for a while, and the Aminu signing is mind boggling. We have four of the same who are younger and better. 

Why is the Aminu signing mind boggling? He's a combo forward who plays well with playoff experience who can come in and ensure we can play the same style constantly in a rotation with Gordon and Isaac. It makes perfect sense. 

[harley 61]

2 minutes ago, Fultz4thewin said:

Why is the Aminu signing mind boggling? He's a combo forward who plays well with playoff experience who can come in and ensure we can play the same style constantly in a rotation with Gordon and Isaac. It makes perfect sense. 

I just think the money could have been spent on a shooter. We have enough defense first power forwards on roster. He isn’t horrible from the 3 but his long range 2 attempts are pretty frustrating. He needs to iron that out. He’s another one I hope is moveable trade time.