17/24 for 54 points. At what point will people start talking about just how bad the magic guard as a team. As each game come and goes it gets worse and worse. Screens become more and more of a problem as the big man really doesn’t seem to have any clue how to handle a screen. Shoot, on every screen they are making a different decision and it leads to success for the offense more than it does for the defense. At this point, when the bomb comes, I am going to be more excited than I would have been for most any Christmas I’ve experienced.

If everything being a step short and a day late isn’t the epitome of the magic I don’t know what is. Finally after an over exhaustion and a compete devaluing of most people on the roster we wouldn’t care about, everything is finally ready to do a rebuild! Finally after 3 three years of fighting for the 8 seed incredibly inconsistently with horrid stretches of basketball included, finally people can let go of the position the magic are and finally be okay with looking to do better. Which the magic have some young pieces who show promise, overall though, they are just a bunch of middle man around the league. Either way, at the end of the day its to the point where the the magic aren’t in the drivers seat for the decision making, so it’ll be interesting to see how the story is told from here on out.

What is absolutely crazy to deal with is the Magic’s inconsistency compared to the Clippers inconsistency. The magic’s inconsistency leads to them scoring barely 20 points in a quarter and not able to fall off a boat and hit water. When the clippers get inconsistent, they almost go for 40 in a quarter. The magic showed no ability to turn any ball handlers whatsoever, especially Kawhi. He was getting wherever he wanted with a red carpet. Not to mention going into the second half the Magic were down 0 to 15 in points off turnovers. The madness just doesn’t stop. I can say that I did like Fournier being completely aggressive. I liked him every chance he could just pushing the ball as hard as he could. That’s the pressure the magic needs to play with. You need to feel like you’re in the saddle, controlling things to have confidence and a real chance to really look at accomplishing much in this league. Guys who always have a hand on the wheel in the game play a big part in being the deciding factor and honestly it doesn’t even feel like there is a player on the magic who likes to push the tempo in every game they play. Ultimately though, all this shit is pointless to talk about because the absolute monstrosity that was on the scoreboard just shines everything with its stinky shitty appearance. So let’s have a great weekend. 

I’ll admit, last night I watched the game in a different way, I didn’t hang on every possession mainly because I watched the game after it was live in a much more sped up version of it. The inconsistency at this point I truly almost expect, what I don’t expect is the fact we are going to just let a big man who has uncoachable potential just sit here and rot until he leaves for someone willing to give him a chance. It also makes me wonder what would have happened to CA if Fultz didn’t go down. Would he get a reasonable chance to show us something? Or would he be another Bomba who sits down and hates the magic organization until their contract runs out and they can join someone and get to punking the magic in a more serviceable role. At this point it isn’t even a surprise or really even something that feels so infuriating. This has to mean I am getting used to the team I root for being super dumb and shitty. Could mean I’m on my way to being super dumb and shitty. Sucks.

I guess the magic are just going to live on this roller coaster all season. After blowing a lead Sunday that just make picking your spots and finding your runs look easy to erease near 20 points on Monday. What’s crazy is last year I used to harp on it so much and it sounds like it’s showing it’s nasty head yet again! Consistency is always going to be most important when it comes to success in the NBA and the Magic’s inability to ever do anything consistently under Clifford really does nothing but just piss me off. What’s most mind blowing is the fact the magic can maybe look to make the playoffs. The magic could really use a reshelling year but honestly I just am not sure it will ever be the decision that the magic actually make themselves and it’s killing me.

The magic will truly never figure out how to communicate on the defensive end. Weak side action is the Magic’s biggest crutch and then the pick and roll falls right behind it. Basketball is played for 48 minutes yes but at the level of the nba the only crucial time is going to be your last two minutes. Everyone is fairly equal when it comes to skill, it’s those who can perform in the crunch time when dead tired is who make the difference. Or even those who can string a stop or two together in the clutch are very important, it seems as if the magic have neither at times. With a lot of hesitation in decision making and just not really finding a way through sets at the end of a game, the magic may never be able to compete in a close game again. Especially when they can’t guard a statue from going somewhere.

Since when did the shot selection of the Magic get so heavily focused around the 5? Not saying he doesn’t have his moments at time but a big man who can’t guard and who doesn’t really want to rebound shouldn’t always just be rewarded with all the shots. It is not only very hard to find a rhythm as a team offense in this scenario but it just flat out can be frustrating for anyone when those shots are really feeling like they are going to waste. More shots than points is never something to be proud of and sadly that’s the reality of last night. There are so many things that could be done differently, but not having a rim protector on the floor for over 40 minutes is something that needs to slow down. It allows alot of people to get in foul trouble and overall it just ends up leading to giving up more offensive rebounds and never being able to alleviate the pressure. And Clifford still healthy scratching Bomba is the biggest joke of this season it’s unbelievable.

The reason we got to experience last night as a whole like we did is truly because the magic have finally opened the top just a tad bit because of injuries and started giving some young guys some rope. Cole Anthony did everything he could to try to show everyone who’s been cheering for him just how much he is truly capable of honestly. He definitely showed how much heart he had last night. How his veins pump well, but the heart rate doesn’t race when time comes to it. Having someone with any amount of composure to atleast look for a decent shot like he did is incredible, then having someone who can just make the fly ball look easy at times is a whole new skill that he doesn’t seem to be too far off on. At the end of the day yes you plays 48 minutes, but the most successful and rare guys are the ones who on those last 12 is when their stride is hitting. CA is giving us some of these signs and although yes it may be early I can assure you I am ready to listen and run with them.

If I see the Magic throw up another dud like that it is not longer about to be what is going on, on the court, it will be about who’s the reason it’s like this on the court. For now though, I just want to complain about how the magic will just never learn to guard with communication and proper switches. Once guys get to the paint the bigs truly have no idea when it is there time to rotate up to stop the drive or not and it leads to just so much destruction and not to mention it makes the bigs look like they have 0 clue what they are doing. Which some might on defense but that’s beside the point. I don’t hate the magic slowing it down a little and actually trying to work an offense, but all 10 hands needs to make sure the ball is being worked and it doesn’t just stop one place. The magic have got to get out of this mindset when there is a cold hand that he can break out of it, and just distribute shots according to how they are falling. It’s still early but honestly I don’t want another roller coaster that ends with no fun again, and already I can see it around the bend on the pace we are headed.

The Magic over the weekend were able to get into a measuring contest with some good teams around the Eastern Conference and to be honest it went for the most part about as poorly as it could go for the guys playing. Now last night was a bit of an exception compared to Friday night, but honestly what happened collectively over the weekend was a bit of a shame. Yes finally some young guys got time to develop and they got time to get at game speed for a good run and feel what it takes to be out there and competing at that high of a level. The only problem is, like Friday, the Magic made mistakes in the first quarter with communication and rotations that they may not fix until next summer’s workouts my god. The Magic lack the ability to completely play as a team at all times, especially in transition on either side of the ball and it sticks out and shows more than a fucking pimple. I like the fact these guys get to live at game speed, but i am so worried about the fact that these young guys could be just another piece in the Magics puzzle of losing guys who are young and promising to at least be somewhat above average in the league.  Either Way, Going 0-2 like that this weekend sure does make the record look like a dog pile.