2023-2024 General Game Thread

[All Eyes On Me 1,210]

12 hours ago, CTMagicUK said:

Some interesting (small sample size) lineup stuff. 

Markelle has only played greater than 10 minutes with 2 lineups. 

The legit starters (Fultz-Suggs-Franz-Paolo-WCJ) and the non Wendell starters (same group replace WCJ with Goga). 

The legit starters group are +10.4 net rating in 78 mins.

The non Wendell starters are -36.2 net rating in 12 minutes. 

Suggests that there's a chance with the additional spacing Wendell offers (not loads but certainly more than Goga) Fultz and Paolo could survive together. 

Obviously we'll have to monitor the numbers as the sample size grows but interesting counter argument to my "Fultz is the odd one out" post I made a couple days ago. 

Also it's even smaller sample size stuff but we have a positive net rating in 94% of minutes AB and Joe Ingles share the floor together so far. Including their most played lineup together which is Black-Suggs-Ingles-Paolo-Goga, which has played 14 mins together and has a 42 net rating. 

I don’t think there’s any question Markelle makes us better and a healthy Markelle would be worth investing in, but yet another random freak injury out of nowhere causing him to miss substantial time is just killer. I love Kelle, he’s my favorite player on the team, I just can’t get over how much he doesn’t look like himself this year after his first full healthy offseason of his career. I just don’t get it

[Jamesdin 39]

4 hours ago, Phil4Real said:

No Markelle and no GH tomorrow either. 

In BKN Cam Thomas and Ben Simmons missed the last games and they'll be probably out tomorrow too. I just feel we have a must-win game ahead of us

let those guys rest. we have depth for the first time. season is a marathon and not a sprint. more opportunities for our young guard AB to show what he's made of.

[ball junkie 277]

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/11/13/orlando-magic-brooklyn-nets-jamahl-mosley-nba-in-season-tournament-markelle-fultz-gary-harris/
So this is Orlando first tournament game …read about what’s at stake in the link …in the games I’ve watched intensity level definitely raised up a notch …Paolo mentioned money he’s all about that lol 

“It has some meaning — $500,000 is on the line,” Magic forward Paolo Banchero said after Orlando’s Saturday win vs. the Bucks. “I don’t know about you; I’m going hard.

“Just naturally, the intensity is elevated.”

[Babir_9 91]

Also there are no details on Fultz injury. Hopefully it is not serios…

[CTMagicUK 1,482]

Big game tonight. Nets are a rival in this sort of 6-10 seed East race, have to be taking enough of these types of games over the course of the season if we want to make the playoffs. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's must win but itd certainly be a big win. 

[JJZFL 619]

6 hours ago, Babir_9 said:

Also there are no details on Fultz injury. Hopefully it is not serios…

There was no mention of a specific injury.  More like the routine impact of playing a few games was enough to inflame his knee.  Definitely concerning.  Would almost be better had there been a specific injury.  

[JJZFL 619]

3 hours ago, CTMagicUK said:

Big game tonight. Nets are a rival in this sort of 6-10 seed East race, have to be taking enough of these types of games over the course of the season if we want to make the playoffs. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's must win but itd certainly be a big win. 

The 5-5 Nets, playing at home, are favored by 3.5 over us in the betting lines.  

[CTMagicUK 1,482]

36 minutes ago, JJZFL said:

The 5-5 Nets, playing at home, are favored by 3.5 over us in the betting lines.  

They're a tough matchup on paper I think.

They've got a lot of good big wings to matchup with Paolo and Franz (Bridges, Johnson, O'Neal, Finney-Smith, not Simmons he's out) and they just got Nic Claxton back to protect the rim at the 5 spot. 

They're kind of middle of the pack at offense and defense rating wise early on but Claxton might help defensively. I kind of like Goga on Claxton though a little, Claxton is pretty skinny he might struggle with Goga on the glass.

They might lack some scoring punch from their guards with Cam Thomas out and Lonnie Walker questionable. 

They don't turn the ball over much and they also do a great job stopping their opponents on the offensive glass. Those are two things we're doing really well, forcing turnovers and getting to the offensive glass.

It's a tough one to call. 

[harryfromphilly 75]

gary harris is now listed as questionable, rather than out.

I kinda am ambivalent about him. If he plays, i hope he doesn't

mess up recent groupings

[Shine88 80]

Suggs has the form of a 40% three point shooter. I think he can get there, too. It's really been his shot selection that's kept his percentage down, but the past two games been a lot better.

Jett is a sniper. Can't wait for him to crack the rotation.

[JJZFL 619]

5 hours ago, CTMagicUK said:

They're a tough matchup on paper I think.

They've got a lot of good big wings to matchup with Paolo and Franz (Bridges, Johnson, O'Neal, Finney-Smith, not Simmons he's out) and they just got Nic Claxton back to protect the rim at the 5 spot. 

They're kind of middle of the pack at offense and defense rating wise early on but Claxton might help defensively. I kind of like Goga on Claxton though a little, Claxton is pretty skinny he might struggle with Goga on the glass.

They might lack some scoring punch from their guards with Cam Thomas out and Lonnie Walker questionable. 

They don't turn the ball over much and they also do a great job stopping their opponents on the offensive glass. Those are two things we're doing really well, forcing turnovers and getting to the offensive glass.

It's a tough one to call. 

Agree.  Hope we play well tonight.  

[All Eyes On Me 1,210]

5 hours ago, JJZFL said:

There was no mention of a specific injury.  More like the routine impact of playing a few games was enough to inflame his knee.  Definitely concerning.  Would almost be better had there been a specific injury.  

Yeah. 3 games into the season. Alarm bells ringing everywhere especially considering his injury history