[BennyLogParticipant]

 They have been playing very solid basketball as of late finally above .500 after the victory over the Celtics. They had 3 very winnable games to start the season that the ball just bounced the wrong way at the and and could easily be 12-5. Their defense has been great most games and are ranked pretty high in most catagories i believe they are top in fg% allowed. They are in the top half offensively and seem to be playing with confidence and trust. I think the only two things they are missing are an elite scorer and rim protector. But as far as playing as a team they are really starting to come together.

 

[Gold Chain]

 Now that they’re bringing one of Oladipo or Payton off the bench, they’re on their way.

lately it’s been Oladipo I think, and he’s been shooting lights out.

 

[Gold Chain]

 Now that they’re bringing one of Oladipo or Payton off the bench, they’re on their way.

lately it’s been Oladipo I think, and he’s been shooting lights out.

 

[herceg_bukuParticipant]

 Payton is a Rondo type player when it comes to a PG that can just fill up every stat on the sheet but he must fix he fg percentage. Fournier is a pleasent surprise, he is playing really well offensively. Harris is more or less all star level type SF. Vucevic is a legit all star big man, and one of the better big men in the nba today, skilled all around and good rebounder. Mario can become a serious player, up to him if he decides to excel. I really believe if they keep all those guys, they will do really well.

oh yeah i forgot oladipio, he is what mario should become.

 

 

[herceg_bukuParticipant]

 Payton is a Rondo type player when it comes to a PG that can just fill up every stat on the sheet but he must fix he fg percentage. Fournier is a pleasent surprise, he is playing really well offensively. Harris is more or less all star level type SF. Vucevic is a legit all star big man, and one of the better big men in the nba today, skilled all around and good rebounder. Mario can become a serious player, up to him if he decides to excel. I really believe if they keep all those guys, they will do really well.

oh yeah i forgot oladipio, he is what mario should become.

 

 

[BennyLogParticipant]

 Good point, im liking the payton fournier combo then oladipo and napier. Payton and oladipo still share some court time but it minimizes it keeping the floor spread. And i think going to the bench was a wake up call he seems to be playing with a lot more instensity since the move.also nicholson has been playing great off the bench as well as gordon. They still have a ways to go but i think they are moving in the right direction and a little faster than expected

[BennyLogParticipant]

 Good point, im liking the payton fournier combo then oladipo and napier. Payton and oladipo still share some court time but it minimizes it keeping the floor spread. And i think going to the bench was a wake up call he seems to be playing with a lot more instensity since the move.also nicholson has been playing great off the bench as well as gordon. They still have a ways to go but i think they are moving in the right direction and a little faster than expected

[high floorParticipant]

I like that Skiles had the guts to bring Oladipo off the bench, and that’s is paying off in the W/L column the past 3 games. They’ve looked good. But even now, fresh off their recent success, I’m still not sure how Orlando’s core players gel together. 

I could easilly see this team going 1-4 on their upcoming west coast road trip and both the media and Scott Skiles saying they’re back at square one. I would love for Aaron Gordon to receive 26-29 minutes per game consistently moving forward. He’s already shown glimpses of being an elite defender. His offense should start to catch up soon with more minutes too. I’m just a believer in AG. 

If Elfrid Payton can bring his A game more consistently, then I think this team will win 37+ games this year. A great improvement from last year to which any rebuilding team should feel good about.

 

 

  

[high floorParticipant]

I like that Skiles had the guts to bring Oladipo off the bench, and that’s is paying off in the W/L column the past 3 games. They’ve looked good. But even now, fresh off their recent success, I’m still not sure how Orlando’s core players gel together. 

I could easilly see this team going 1-4 on their upcoming west coast road trip and both the media and Scott Skiles saying they’re back at square one. I would love for Aaron Gordon to receive 26-29 minutes per game consistently moving forward. He’s already shown glimpses of being an elite defender. His offense should start to catch up soon with more minutes too. I’m just a believer in AG. 

If Elfrid Payton can bring his A game more consistently, then I think this team will win 37+ games this year. A great improvement from last year to which any rebuilding team should feel good about.

 

 

  

[BennyLogParticipant]

 I agree ive been a huge fan of AG since they took a chance on drafting him so high… You cant teach that effort athleticism and work ethic and the improvements he has already made on his jump shot is huge and hes only 20. It looks like that risk will pay off big time. Payton, wether his jump shot as actually improved or not, is definitely more willing to shoot so i think thats a good sign of his progress, if he can start to finish better at the rim he will be fine 

 

[BennyLogParticipant]

 I agree ive been a huge fan of AG since they took a chance on drafting him so high… You cant teach that effort athleticism and work ethic and the improvements he has already made on his jump shot is huge and hes only 20. It looks like that risk will pay off big time. Payton, wether his jump shot as actually improved or not, is definitely more willing to shoot so i think thats a good sign of his progress, if he can start to finish better at the rim he will be fine 

 

[BennyLogParticipant]

 Another great win for the magic last night to start the 5 game road trip against a solid timberwolves team. I fell asleep somewhere in the 3rd but they dominated when i was watching and found a way to hold on at the end. Nicholson played great again so i hope he can keep this up. This is a chance for the magic to prove they are for real. If they can go 3 and 2 on this trip that would be huge for their confidence and they could start shooting up in the standing with 8 of their next 10 games at home where they have been playing great.

[BennyLogParticipant]

 Another great win for the magic last night to start the 5 game road trip against a solid timberwolves team. I fell asleep somewhere in the 3rd but they dominated when i was watching and found a way to hold on at the end. Nicholson played great again so i hope he can keep this up. This is a chance for the magic to prove they are for real. If they can go 3 and 2 on this trip that would be huge for their confidence and they could start shooting up in the standing with 8 of their next 10 games at home where they have been playing great.

[BennyLogParticipant]

 So they have won the first 2 games on this road trip so far! The way they are playing now they would have probably won atleast 2 of those close games they lost to start the season and could be 13-6 right now and would be 2nd in the conference. I believe they started 1-4? 10-4 since. Gaining alot of confidence with every game. 

[BennyLogParticipant]

 So they have won the first 2 games on this road trip so far! The way they are playing now they would have probably won atleast 2 of those close games they lost to start the season and could be 13-6 right now and would be 2nd in the conference. I believe they started 1-4? 10-4 since. Gaining alot of confidence with every game. 

[GBeeParticipant]

 Legit as in what? Playoff contention? Sure, that’s what Skiles was brought in for.  I know he gets a bad rep for wearing out his welcome in other places, but Skiles is a good coach who is perfect for this type of situation.  He’s not a championship contender coach, but he is a guy who can get a team from point A to B, instilling good habits with young players and having them learn accountability, while at the same time rewarding good play.  He’s a coach who is unafraid of pulling the trigger and at least trying to make adjustments as opposed to doing the same thing over and over.  He has no set minutes allotment, he doesn’t do timed substitutions, he doesn’t pander to what the fans might want (ie, play the lotto picks).  He does what is necessary to be competitive.  I read a lot of posts on other boards about people shtting on the Oladipo move, saying sht about "#2 pick, best player on the team, development… blah blah."  He knew exactly what he was doing and it made perfect sense to split VO and EP.  The spacing is much improved in the starting lineup and VO can straight up attack and be the offensive catalyst off the bench.  It wasn’t a demotion, it was a change in role while at the same time finding a better configurration that best suits Oladipo and the team.

Now we hear grumblings about player development with AG and Hezonja’s minutes getting cut.  Please, Skiles is developing the TEAM. If you’re a Magic fan and you’re happy about them competing, then don’t complain.  Again, this is what Skiles was brought in for.  He doesn’t hand out entitlement minutes.  Hezonja’s raw and if AG wants to see an uptick in minutes he’ll have to play better than Andrew Nicholson, who’s play is another big reason for their turn around. Skiles will give players opportunities to earn minutes as was the case with Nicholson who had been previously buried by JV. What a novel concept.  Players actually earning minutes instead of just being handed them because of where they were drafted.

 

[GBeeParticipant]

 Legit as in what? Playoff contention? Sure, that’s what Skiles was brought in for.  I know he gets a bad rep for wearing out his welcome in other places, but Skiles is a good coach who is perfect for this type of situation.  He’s not a championship contender coach, but he is a guy who can get a team from point A to B, instilling good habits with young players and having them learn accountability, while at the same time rewarding good play.  He’s a coach who is unafraid of pulling the trigger and at least trying to make adjustments as opposed to doing the same thing over and over.  He has no set minutes allotment, he doesn’t do timed substitutions, he doesn’t pander to what the fans might want (ie, play the lotto picks).  He does what is necessary to be competitive.  I read a lot of posts on other boards about people shtting on the Oladipo move, saying sht about "#2 pick, best player on the team, development… blah blah."  He knew exactly what he was doing and it made perfect sense to split VO and EP.  The spacing is much improved in the starting lineup and VO can straight up attack and be the offensive catalyst off the bench.  It wasn’t a demotion, it was a change in role while at the same time finding a better configurration that best suits Oladipo and the team.

Now we hear grumblings about player development with AG and Hezonja’s minutes getting cut.  Please, Skiles is developing the TEAM. If you’re a Magic fan and you’re happy about them competing, then don’t complain.  Again, this is what Skiles was brought in for.  He doesn’t hand out entitlement minutes.  Hezonja’s raw and if AG wants to see an uptick in minutes he’ll have to play better than Andrew Nicholson, who’s play is another big reason for their turn around. Skiles will give players opportunities to earn minutes as was the case with Nicholson who had been previously buried by JV. What a novel concept.  Players actually earning minutes instead of just being handed them because of where they were drafted.

 

[BennyLogParticipant]

 By legit i mean a team that can contend with any team on any given night (excluding the warriors who nobody can as of now) and be a tough matchup in the playoffs.we all know skiles as being that coach that can develop players but not quite get to that elite level, however i would like to think that he can still develop as a coach and as much as we respect his stubborn style of coaching he can learn to instill some confidence in some of his players and give them some sort of routine. I do respect his no nonsense style but at the same time i think at some point he does need to have a set lineup and rotation or he will lose his team and fans, which has been his problem in the past. As a magic fan heres hoping it works out!

[BennyLogParticipant]

 By legit i mean a team that can contend with any team on any given night (excluding the warriors who nobody can as of now) and be a tough matchup in the playoffs.we all know skiles as being that coach that can develop players but not quite get to that elite level, however i would like to think that he can still develop as a coach and as much as we respect his stubborn style of coaching he can learn to instill some confidence in some of his players and give them some sort of routine. I do respect his no nonsense style but at the same time i think at some point he does need to have a set lineup and rotation or he will lose his team and fans, which has been his problem in the past. As a magic fan heres hoping it works out!

[Author]

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