Orlando Magic Podcast – Ep. 187 – “Playoff Push“

Orlando Magic Podcast – Ep. 187 – “Playoff Push“

Live from Orlando Florida you’re listening to the Orlando Magic HQ podcast the voice of magic fans join us every week for a unique fan perspective on all of the latest Magic news and updates the show starts now what’s up magic fans welcome back to another episode of the Orlando Magic HQ

Podcast brought to you by the believe podcast Network and bet online where you host Al myself Anthony today is Friday February 23rd and this is one day post the Orlando Magic being down on the Cleveland Cavaliers after a very very long what seems to be a long All-Star break notoriously we’re we’re pretty

Terrible after you know taking some time off and then jumping into some basketball but not not not this time around the magic they they handle business in Cleveland away and they they get a a great win after this long break H what’s going on man how’s your Allstar

Your All-Star break it was good man it gave gave us a nice chance to disconnect a nice chance to kind of relax um but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I was missing it I was missing Magic Basketball I’m excited for the final 27

Games and uh we’re off to a good start here after tonight’s win against the Cavs yeah not not too bad and in today’s episode we’re we’re going to talk a little bit about Allstar Weekend we had some great represent this this weekend and there’s a lot of

Talks in regards to some of the things that people really didn’t like um in regards to some of these events that notoriously have been getting a little worse and worse as time has gone on um there has been rumors about Klay Thompson is now the second reporter

First Shams and then uh Mark Stein that reported Klay Thompson connected with the Orlando Magic and we’re going to be talking about what we think is that even a good idea and then people outside of Orlando are now predicting the Orlando Magic to do some heavy work in the

Postseason so finally we’re getting some of that recognition from outside media um and we’re going to talk about that in a few moments but before we do jump into a quick word from our sponsors bet online bet online continues to be your number one source for all your basketball wagering needs including pro

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Online today to become part of the team and remember to use promo code believe for your 50% welcome bonus on your first deposit bet online the game starts here so I want to jump right into Allstar break talk when you think about Allstar break and this is even before we start

Talking about magic representation but what are your initial thoughts about Allstar Weekend in its entirety right so we we’ve we’ve come accustomed to Friday Celebrity Game Rising Star Challenge and Saturday is a day that people really look forward to the most when it comes to Allstar Weekend um you got the

Three-Point Contest you got the skills challenge um and then you got the infamous slam dun contest and then you move on to you know Sunday where you have the All-Star game but when when it comes to the weekend completely what what are some of the events that you

Really don’t care about what’s your favorite event um what what is your general you know Outlook when it comes to allar weekend so I gotta say man I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older I don’t know what’s changing but allar weekend weekend does not hit like

It used to like to me growing up it used to be Friday night I’m watching the the rookie and sophomore game Saturday night I’m glued to the TV from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. all the contest all the challenges I’m watching it was fun to watch and back in the days

Whether it was Vince or Steph whoever it was I’m watching allstar game just because I’m like hey I know they’re gonna do something special they’re gonna compete they’re gonna do some nice dunks they’ll be fun to watch but I feel like as time has gone on players don’t value

Being there as they used to like I feel like they show up because they kind of have to represent third teams they got voted in they’ll go and do their thing but you can tell in their mindset like they can’t wait to get out um but I mean

The only contest that I’m really really watching like I’m looking forward to now is the three-point shooting contest like that’s the only one where I feel like all competitors are trying they’re trying to win they’re trying to do their best um I mean look at the D contest

This year we know every year it’s kind of gotten kind of worse and worse but this year in particular man like mclan won it he’s from Oola I’m happy that he won it he was my favorite but like Jaylen Brown making it to the finals man

Like that to me was was a joke to be honest he wasn’t trying he was going at 50% he tried to do certain dunks to pay tribute to certain dunkers and dude like if you watch the original dunk to what he did it’s like he’s mocking those

Dudes like he’s not even trying out there listen I dis I disagree with you I think he was trying I think he tried his hardest I just think that he was really terrible at that event like he gave it his all and his all just sucked it was

Just bad I mean we got a good beam out of it the whole like Tatum passing the ball like that was the best meme out of it I guess we got that out of it at least but even like the allstar game man

Like again I grew up in an era where I I loved like the 200000 All-Star game like that was Vince against Kobe against AI That’s what I think of when I think of an All-Star Game and unfortunately 23 year 23 24 years later now it’s crazy to

Think about how old up guy it’s crazy how these dudes just show up they dribble up the court they jack up a three they get a rebound they come back and jack up a three and that’s the game that’s the allstar game that we get get

To watch now no defense no blocks no really like cool dunks off the backboard like nothing like that um so I don’t know man like I don’t know if I’m getting old if you guys are watching listening to this let us know if you feel like you look forward to allar

Weekend because honestly I just don’t anymore like it’s not a fun thing to do to watch um I will tune in Saturday night I’ll watch it but All-Star Game rookie and sophomore game honestly it’s not my thing what about you yeah I think I think the highlight of the weekend in

My opinion has always been slam dun contest like that’s that’s the one thing that you look forward to and honestly I found myself really more feeling more excited watching the Three-Point Contest and here here’s the thing about the NBA if there’s one thing that you can kind of hang your head on

That the NBA is at least good at is they’re they’re good at trying to make changes for the better I’m not saying that that that always works out because there’s some decisions that they make that just suck right but some decisions that they make that’s awesome uh a great

Example of that right the the rookie sophomore game that has changed numerous times right it was rookie sophomore then if you played your year one year two you were selected but then it was like the world versus USA and then they they turn into this this tournament now where they

Even included a team from the G league and I think that that is awesome I think that that has made the rising stars challenge that much better right even the fact that the g-league team ended up beating I can’t remember which team it was but ended up you know eliminating

One of the other teams which I thought was was great shout out to MC McClung um and so elements like that I really enjoyed um them having like a random Three-Point Contest with you know uh a WNBA player in in Sabrina and and Steph Curry I thought that was awesome as well

I enjoy enjoyed that um when we talk about the skills challenge I don’t know what the hell they were doing this year man it it’s it was it’s all over the place if you talk about one event that they’ve tinkered the most it’s a skills Challenge and I feel like that’s one

Event that it’s only a matter of time before they scratch that completely they they’ve made so many changes and adjustments the the passing targets that they were doing were you know the was was a massive like this this it was huge like the I don’t I don’t understand what

Anybody could have did that like there’s there’s no special skill that you need to have to be able to accomplish some of the things that they had to accomplish and even in the beginning you’re right you know players weren’t taking it serious Anthony Edwards like I really

Really really was hoping like the the number one draft picks were were going to do work Anthony Edwards out there shooting with his left hand like he said he was he warned everybody um I I really didn’t enjoy that aspect of it so it was a little underwhelming 100% I think the

Well the NBA also to your point they have done some good things but I also think they’re trying too hard to like be Innovative and try new things sometimes keep it consistent for history sake so if you ask me like the skills challenge to be honest they could have kept it the

Same way the traditional way one player at a time I don’t like this whole team approach just because again it’s so messy the whole passing going on and shooting like it it’s too confusing um so I don’t know the NBA has to do some thinking for sure you could tell that

Adam Silver the commissioner was not very happy handing the award to the east when they won and he kind of sarcastically said well congrats you broke the scoring record here you go like he wasn’t pleased at all at the effort that was given that night um so

Again and now don’t forget this part there was a year I used to live up north when this happened it was in Brooklyn the allar game and I thought about going like you know what I’ve never been it will be cool to go one day dude those

Tickets are like 800 bucks for like the cheapest tickets to those events so imagine you make the effort you say hey you know what I’m gonna do it because I don’t know Paulo first allar game I’m gonna go and watch this and these dudes are jogging through the challenges the

Allar game nobody plays with any effort that’s the part of it to me that’s again it’s like a slap in the face of the fans that care and that want to watch these dudes compete because they are the best 24 26 whatever it may be players in the

NBA and we’re not seeing that so the NBA’s got to do some thinking here go back to the basics you don’t have to keep innovating so much and use so much technology like that’s cool and all keep it simple keep us give us what we want to see to your point the skills

Challenge what’s the skill passing shooting make it about that you don’t have to do all these other extra things and make it about teams just my opinion I don’t know yeah so you talk about the in part of the reason why Adam Silver was was sarcastic

About it you can tell that he was upset Adam Silver made it a point they even had Larry Bird Andre guala another player I can’t remember who it was to go and talk to the teams on both East and West to try to make it competitive um

Larry Bird in one of his speeches he was even talking about like let’s let’s make sure that we we make that a point and nobody really did man it’s it’s not I’ll be honest with you I I I maybe watch maybe maybe 20 30 minutes of it

I’m like I I really I just want to see Pao and and and that’s that’s pretty much it I I couldn’t watch the whole thing if I’m being 100% honest with you um and I think that certain elements have to change they they tried making the adjustments especially with the

All-Star um game they they tried changing the the point system um they they try making giving some type of incentive to the players in terms of you know compensation they’ve they’ve done east and west and pick youred players they’ve done everything that they can it’s now time for them to take it you

Know a little bit a little bit more we’ve heard a lot of some of the changes some of the ideas that people have made where it’s really more of okay if you have east and west maybe you should incentivize a winner with having homec court advantage in the finals an idea

That I heard um another person bring up is Maybe you know because the the way that big three like Big Three Tournament the way that that they The Big Three League the way that they do it is that they have a a point system that you have

To reach and once you reach that specific number um you know then the game is over so I know that they have something like that to where they they kind of reset after I don’t it’s honestly it’s been a while since I watched a full All-Star game but whether

It was a quarter a half or however it is that they have it now you know how about you just eliminate all the quarters and you just have one point system have the game up to 120 150 whatever the case may be um and then the first one to win it

Then the game’s over obviously you don’t want the game to be over like in 20 30 minutes but I think that that would kind of help at least incentivize people to play a little defense in the All-Star game uh not saying that that’s the greatest idea in the world but at least

An idea I think that something has to change and I I listened to an interview that Kobe Bryant had you know a few years back where he was talking about like people want to watch the allstar game as one of being one of the best pickup games in the world right but the

Fan base we haven’t been getting that like people are playing harder in in in the Drew League they’re playing harder at UCLA they’re playing harder in in all these offseason leagues but when it comes to the allar that everyone is crying about to make it they’re not they’re not giving anything like it’s

Not it’s more of a a t Mark to put on their resume so that they can get paid more it’s it’s not about the event anymore and I and I think that something definitely has to change for us to be able to get back to it where it’s now

Watchable because if you have the All-Star game that nobody cares about anymore they you have the slam D contest that nobody cares about anymore then what’s going to really happen with that Allstar Weekend it’s it’s only going to be a matter of time before you’re GNA have to scratch it

Completely um another idea that I heard was you know maybe instead of the slam done contests you do like a a massive you know 30 40 player or not 30 40 but maybe like 20 player 15 player one versus one tournament so I don’t know there there’s a lot of different ways

That they can go uh the skills challenge would be one that I would happily scratch off um and and they they need to find a un a unique way to to have more eyes on the allar weekend because people are slowly slowly saying man we don’t we

Don’t want to watch this isn’t what we want and I think that if they don’t do something quick it’s going to end up hurting the NBA in the in the long R people are still going to watch but people are losing respect for it really really fast I mean that’s my my question

Has always been like so what do the players want like what do they want to make a competitive right because what what Kobe mentioned is true when Again Me growing Up allstar game was the best pickup game you could ever watch all the greatest players are playing you want to

Watch for that reason alone but to your point they need they keep saying they need to be incentivized okay so money is not getting it done because they they try that route that didn’t really work to your point my recommendation would always be or would also be try to make

It where the winning team East or West gets home cor advantage in the finals so that should motivate you to do well the Counterpoint to that has been well what about the Pistons like if Kate was to make the allar game why would he care it’s not about that you’re trying to

Help the group of guys that you’re playing with on the Eastern Conference to get them home court advantage that’s what I would think um but they they got to find something man because again the other concern is injuries but then again you watch these guys playing pickup ball

In the summer and they’re going hard they’re playing hard they’re dunking on people they’re blocking shots so which one is it like I feel like they’re being contradicting to each other in the sense that oh we want to be incentivized where you are getting paid 2030 million to

Play basketball to show up one day and try a little bit won’t kill you and then injuries we talked about it already when you’re playing pick ball in the summer you’re trying you’re playing hard so I don’t get it man it’s just confusing to me it’s a new generation thing I feel

Because again this wasn’t a thing before my thing is how do you fix it how do you find motivation in these guys that are making so much money they won’t care money to me is not the answer there’s got to be more to it but again what can

That be I don’t have the answer to that yeah the the slam D contest was definitely definitely underwhelming shout out to Jaylen Brown for at least taking the risk as an All-Star level player to partake in it but his his all his dunks were trash every single one of

Them the whole jumping over kaiset and and trying to do the D Brown no look and and he ends up dunking and then tries to pretend like he didn’t look the whole time like it was just an awkward all his dunks were just awkward um but shout out

To MC mclung for for bringing it home um clearly had the best th so them easy easy without a doubt without and also how can we not mention Paulo right so Paulo’s first appearance in the allstar game unfortunately everything that he did was unfortunately cut short so you

Know that the rookie sophomore game unfortunately was cut short um his team lost in the first game um then you have the skills challenge where again Anthony Edwards is jacking up threes left-handed so that was his evening it’s embarrassing and then and then allar game Unfortunately they were not passing

Him the ball and when they did pass him the ball they were double teaming him in an alar game that would nobody was playing defense it was weird uh but it was great to see Paulo out there man representing the magic um first of many

More to come uh he is a rookie at the allstar game at least it’s gonna happen you’re going to struggle a little bit the lights are bright all this crazy players you admire your whole life are now in one locker room with you it’s

Gonna happen but um the fun part is as a magic fan this is the first of many and I think again next year we may see France in there too so he can now coach up France on what to expect on Allstar Weekend but uh it was great to see Paulo

Out there man yeah it was cool seeing him out there also um I feel like almost every picture that they took of him like on the court with some of the other players he was always with another point guard so it looked as if he was out

There recruiting right but no it was it was awesome to see Paulo B Caro out there again when we talk about AAR representation like this this one feels like the most heart fulfilling because of you know this is our number one draft pick sophomore year year there’s a lot

Of meaning to it so really happy for uh Paulo B Carol happy for Mt mclung bringing the trophy home um Travelin McQueen also was played in some tournament Allstar Weekend he ended up winning MVP of of some awards so shout out to him too um but really really

Awesome for them allar weekend they got to do something they they just it just needs to happen I I don’t know figure it out figure out yeah man um now with with this with this weekend out there was also a lot of lot of talks not really talks Mark Mark s was talking

About Klay Thompson there being a connection the Orlando Magic showing interest will be showing interest um in Klay Thompson when we think about Klay Thompson as a player where he’s at in his career you’re talking about a multi-time NBA champion one of the best NBA Shooters in the league or arguably in NBA

History you followed Golden State Warriors from a West CO as your West Conference Team your Western Conference Team what are your thoughts on Klay Thompson potentially one leaving leaving Golden State and two would would he even be interested in a team like the Orlando Magic being so young and still on the

Cusp of uh you know getting into the postseason and and really making noise so again if you listen to the podcast you know Warriors are a team that I follow from a distance I’m a huge Steph Curry fan so I’ve grown up watching clay and them winning rings um

Unfortunately I don’t see this very likely uh the only way that I see Klay Thompson leaving the Warriors if he does is to maybe the Lakers or some team like that in California where his dad played for there’s some ties there LeBron would want him there if he stays in La um I

Truly don’t think there’s a way that Klay Thompson leaves the Warriors just because again what they’ve built there Steph clay Draymond I think those are guys that will retire in Golden State at least clay and Steph um so not to again be the bear of bad news or be a downer I

Just I don’t see it like I would be shocked if come this summer The Warriors number one let him walk and number two he talks to an Eastern Conference Team like I’ve always thought of clay as a West Coast kid so I don’t see him coming

To the Knicks the heat the magic like I just don’t see it um now don’t get me wrong if he does he says hey I’m entertaining this option like I want to go to you know Florida taxfree after paying so many taxes here in California I I’ll

Entertain the idea you offer him 60 $80 million two threee deal sure trust me man we’ve needed shooting we’ve needed bets we’ve needed a champion in the locker room I would love him in in Orlando however there are some signs he’s been kind of pouting a little bit

With the Warriors because he’s getting benched or not playing as much um um so do you want that in your locker room when you’re trying to build around Paulo France Jaylen sucks I don’t know so let me leave it at that the fact that I simply don’t think is realistic that he

Leaves the Warriors but what about you if the opportunity presented itself is Klay Thompson a guy that you would want to go after and pay a bunch of money to what I want doe he’s he’s a championship shooter we suck at shooting like how does anyone not want Klay

Thompson obvious at the same time it has to make sense for the magic it has to make sense for Klay Thompson and I think that that’s going to be the tough part if I’m Klay Thompson dude I’ve already won my four titles I’m at the back end

Of my career 35 years old just coming off of eight uh in Achilles injury I’m trying to get paid out one more time so who’s going to be the one to pull out their checkbook if things really don’t work out in Golden State he specifically said recently that one of the players

That he’s looked up to the most was Ray Allen and Ray Allen didn’t always start right he was he he made a sacrifice and came off the bench for the better man of the team um and he mentioned that he would be willing to take a pay cut to

Stay with golden state now if that doesn’t happen which I believe they will I I believe that something they’ll they’ll make sure that Klay Thompson in my opinion unless he’s a detriment to the team I think that they’ll find a way to keep him but his role definitely has

To change and is he okay with that um but yeah I agree with you he’s he’s a he’s a West Coast kid like the chams was the one that reported first he said that he expects both teams in Florida and both teams in La um to go after Klay

Thompson and I think it would make more sense for him to stay on the west side and maybe play for one of these California teams before even pictures you know Florida Florida’s a different it’s a different world man it’s a different vibe it’s different everything you spend your whole entire career in

California there’s no reason why you would do that but I don’t I don’t know what financially would make sense for Klay Thompson I know what financially would make sense for the Orlando Magic like for for a player his age his injury history joining a team that we’ve dealt

With how much injury in itself like we can only risk so much money for Klay Thompson like there there’s got to be uh in in a contract where it’s fully front-loaded declining every year you know a team option preferably a three and not a fouryear like there there has to be a

Lot of that verbiage in there for us to be comfortable now what does that dollar look like like I don’t I don’t know if there’s a team out there outside of Golden State and not even Golden State I don’t know if there’s an any NBA team that’s willing to give him a Max

Contract so I think that Klay Thompson needs is to bring down his expectations and and really ask himself like what is it that’s most important if he wants to win another championship then okay like there’s there’s avenues for that if you’re trying to get paid and still play

Winning basketball yeah I think there’s a world that Orlando Magic could entertain it I personally just like the fact that we’re in the rumors like get us in the conversation talk to everybody like no one should be off the table have a conversation and if you don’t find

Something that makes sense and it doesn’t make sense and you just move on but um I I wouldn’t be opposed to it I think people would come around to it if it did happen but I don’t see a world where you know there’s a contract that makes sense for the magic and Clay

Thompson listen we we came around the idea of Joe Engles coming to the magic after the way that his season started so I think Cay Thompson would definitely be welcomed in Orlando I just again being realistic uh I just want the conversation to be around the fact that

The magic are getting meetings with this type of players whether it’s you know Chris Paul earlier this month then we went out to Klay Thompson so the fact that like they’re they’re linking big names to the magic dude it’s been since Dwight left Orlando that we haven’t

Heard that so the fact that that’s happening again that’s a good sign um I don’t know why they’re linking all this like 36 35 year old guys to the magic but it’s a good sign it’s it’s a good start so at the very least I want to see

Some meetings I see some more rumors happening over as the summer gets closer um I just again don’t think Klay Thompson leaves the Warriors to begin with that’s that’s where I’m at yeah so well we’ll see what happens I like again I like the fact that we’re in the talks

But yeah I if I’m if I’m a betting man I I don’t I don’t see anything happening there um Cleveland Orlando Magic just want to touch base on it real quick um magic ended up winning really excited for us to be able to get a win after

All-Star break but the thing that was really surprising was Marquel missed a game due to left knee injury management well give me give me your quick thoughts on that real quick I mean it’s It’s upsetting man right like how do you he missed the game before Allstar break and then he misses the

Game after Allstar break uh with injury management um sure I guess I guess that week wasn’t enough to to manage the injury in his left knee sure I mean man it’s fortunate um again I keep thinking that it’s the shoulder it’s not really the knee they’re hiding it they’re trying to preserve whatever

Little you know value Marquel has in the marketplace come free agency so I think they’re doing this to protect him and to to help him out man but it’s it’s so sad to see man because we have seen the potential that Marquel has and to see it

Go down this way on his contract de it truly breaks my heart man but mentally I am just of the thinking that AB is our point guard and honestly man if this is the way things are going to go down hand AB the keys man or do what you did

Tonight against the Cavs start jayen sus a point guard with Gary Harris at the two and embrace that as your lineup and use this final 26 games as a prep for the playoffs because unfortunately you cannot keep doing this in and out of the lineup thing and then comp play of time

Expect Marquel and this guys to have chemistry um but at the end of the day man it’s just sad to see just happy that we won the game tonight with marel and we’re able to come Victorious because it was a huge game against the Cavs and we

Were found a way to win that game yeah and speaking of Anthony black nine points two assists one turnover shot two three-point top three-point balls and and made one so he was 50% from the three-point line and he showed up with a different haircut so um love

To see it uh it’s funny because I remember seeing a clip of Coach M kind of talking to him in in uh one of his uh YouTube videos that he had kind of saying like listen you can you can play ball like that now but you know L later

On there there’s a lot of uh benefits to you know not having your hair out there kind of you know ponytail or or braided or whatnot so it was cool to see that he he took the advice and and finally got that done yeah man Al for Payton would have never done

That but uh it was great to see I mean he looked great out there he played hard and big shout out to Mo Vagner tonight man 22 points seven rebounds played his heart out out there tonight against the Vicks from the Cavs which are really talented bigs he found a way to again

Score 22 points and grab seven rebounds pretty much Clos out the game for us over Wendell cter which is great to see um and that’s the thing with this team man you never know who’s gonna bring it one night might be mo bagner one night might be Paulo France it could be Gary

Harris that goes off shooting but it’s great to see because as a coach of the opponent team you know the yeah like the cight you don’t know who who to prep for you don’t know who is it going to be Paulo tonight well look it wasn’t him

Tonight but yet Mo Vagner stepped up and the bench did an amazing job tonight they truly won US The game everyone from the bench had a plus um you know ji plus 17 Mo Vagner plus 18 Joe Eng Les was clutch plus 23 with three three-pointers

And then Anthony black plus 21 so that’s the game right there those guys stepped up they knew the Pao wasn’t feeling his best tonight they were able to get it on for us yeah so video um earlier today and and I don’t know I don’t know exactly when this video came out maybe

It was like a week or two ago I’m not sure I don’t know for sure but it was of Coach Mo post game after a a really good win in the locker room pointing at different players and pretty much saying hey did you start yes did you did you finish no did

You start did you finish like pointing at Players pretty much saying like it doesn’t matter if you start it doesn’t always matter if you don’t finish but did we win yes at the end of the day that’s that’s what matters and and he he just kind of told everyone to really

Focus on that and the fact that you know this we we do have a special group a special group where if you if you started but you didn’t finish the game how were you on the bench you were excited because your team was winning at the end of the day that’s what matters

Most and the fact that Wendell Carter isn’t getting bigheaded about it Cole Anthony isn’t getting bigh head bigheaded about not starting but he’s still given opportunity to finish games like this is what this is what makes this team so special is that everyone really does enjoy playing with one

Another everyone really does respect coach Mo and we continue this trend this is going to allow for us to really surprise a lot of teams in this postseason and basketball reference predicted that the magic will finish the seasoning at 46 and 36 record finished six in the east facing off the New York

Knicks with a third seed in the first round this is their current prediction you’re looking at uh a team that didn’t make it into playing contention to now being predicted to be in the six seed to finish the season off 10 games above 500 facing off against the New York Knicks

Now my question to you is if this outcome came to fruition is a Nick in the first round something that you would to see like do you like that match up ah man it’s tough cuz I do feel like the Knicks we’ve played them well we’ve

Beaten them well now three times we got one more against them um later on in March but they did make some great upgrades at the deadline they had some much needed Shooters um so we got to see what that looks like right we don’t know what that would look like once they all

Start playing together um they got some guys that are hurt right now so maybe the chemistry won’t be all there and we can beat them you never know but on paper not really the best opponent in my eyes I feel like they have a great talented team um I would embrace it

Because all those New Yorkers will come to the Kia Center and try to take over and we’ll protect our house I know that for a fact and hopefully cesa ticket holders people that get tickets in advance of the playoffs won’t be selling them to New Yorkers that would be ideal

If that happens um so I would embrace it I would I would embrace the challenge listen if that’s how things play out let’s make it work let’s make it happen um but to your original Point 46 and 36 I think is more than doable that means

We have to win 15 more games out of our final 26 so we got to go what 16 and 10 I think that is pretty doable if you ask me um so we’ll see what happens I think it’s it’s going to definitely be something that we can accomplish but the

Fact that we can be out of the you know the the playing tournament race that would be ideal if we can make the playoffs as a a solid team this year without having to go through the play that would be huge for our franchise bring me the Knicks man bring me the

Knicks I will take I will take that match up any day yes they upgrade their roster but the Knicks are going to Nicks man they’re they’re going to they’re going to be they’re going to be the Knicks man they’re they’re not a they’re not a franchise that you can completely

Rely that they’re going to be success they always find a way to to lose out on the end not to jinx it not to say any of that I like chances I like our our chances with a healthy team against New York kns Jaylen Brunson um is a is a

Baller Julius Randle has shown that he doesn’t necessarily show up in the postseason um you know they they’re still a team that’s trying to figure it out and and you know Tom diido is you know he’s he’s a wild card also in itself you know so I I would take that

Matchup I think that there would be a a huge huge huge uh battle in the Kia Center in terms of uh Nick fan base and Orlando Magic fan base that would be the only thing that I’m not excited about because it’s almost hard to really predict that like

There’s no way of preventing that and the last thing that you want is and and granted we’ve seen how playoff uh fans show up for the Orlando Magic like we we’ve we’ve had a small taste of that in in the Vu uh DJ Austine era like we we saw very very brief of

That um but I I think that it would that’s the only part that I would be worried about especially cuz they’re they’re over here talking on their podcast where they come to Orlando and and it feels like a home game like they they already in their mind already

Assume like it’s it’s going to be home court advantage whether we play home or away um but I I would definitely 100% welcome that matchup especially if it means that we don’t even have to go through the play in that would be again man it would be

Incredible to go from again winning the lottery getting Pao to then a couple of years later being what we are today we could potentially be come come April 15th or so it would be crazy to think about the fact that we went from 21 wins

To 34 to now potentially 45 46 wins it’s crazy and then again the summer what it will lead to so I think the fact that we’re here today February 23rd talking about the magic kind of going to the playoffs we’re kind of predicting already we’re going to the playoffs who

We’re going to face talking about seating it’s exciting cuz usually by now we’re already thinking two more months till the season ends and then we have another month to the lottery that’s been our talks for the last three seasons our last three you know podcast Seasons by

This time we’re counting down to the lottery pretty much so the fact that we’re talking about playoff basketball playing six seed whatever it may be is exciting but I will say we have the easiest schedule remaining in the NBA 31 wins after beating the Cs tonight again

We need 15 more to get to 46 we can lose 11 pretty much to get there so again correcting myself from earlier 15 and 11 it’s more than doable if you ask me I think it’s really something we can accomplish the biggest thing is going to be staying healthy that’s the number one

Key for us yeah so taking a taking a look at a week ahead we got Saturday Pistons Sunday Hawks both uh both away games then Tuesday against the Nets Thursday against Jazz at home I don’t know man I’m I’m I’m I’m looking at it

And I say it it feels like a 4-0 next four games I know that we’ve struggled with the Brooklyn Nets um pretty pretty bad the last couple times that we played him uh Jaz is still a really good basketball team Hawks we’ve struggled with but I you you play against Pistons

You get two games under your belt I think you go into the Hawks with the chip on your shoulder and make sure that you know the jont Murray does not keep doing what he’s been doing against us I mean if you can get pistons and Hawks I

Think you go into um you know the game against Brooklyn with a lot a lot of confidence I’m I’m putting my this is the first time that I’ve done this predictions where I say we’re going to go undefeated during our stretch I like it I mean if you’re

Serious about jumping into the sixth seed and fifth seed uh by the way Philadelphia keeps losing a ton of games so we’re about to catch them also so you never know what happens there but yeah if this week on paper looks like a four and an all week if you’re serious about

Making a playoff push these are games you got to win the Pistons won you got to come ready last time we played them we had a double digit lead we almost blew it that can’t happen right you got to go in there take control of the game

Early put it away and the Hawks man we owe them a good game they’ve been every game has been a battle it’s always gone to Overtime or it’s ended at the buzzer pretty much with the jont Murray always finding a way to beat us that’s got to

Change and the Nets they made a lot of changes at the de line hopefully they miss some of those guys and we can come in today they have a new coach now too so hopefully we come in and we can kind of take advantage of that and beat them

Finally and like you said the Jazz solid team they’re playing hard but again if you’re being serious you gotta win them I’m gonna go three in one this week uh I I think we lose one of these games whichever it may be we lose that three and one who do we lose

To I’m between the Hawks or the Nets I don’t know what it is man we just cannot play well against good shooting teams so I think one of those two teams will find a way to beat us I’m I’m going to stay I’m going to

Stay strong to my 40 we’ll see what ends up happening a lot B magic basketball’s finally back after being a week off it would be amazing for the magic to kind of rack up a winning streak uh very early on so that we can get to a point

Where we do end the season at a minimum 46 and 36 that’s a wrap for us this week I appreciate everyone for listening remember that this show is presented by batt line we’ll catch you guys next week for all the latest Magic news and updates visit Orlando Magic hq.com and

Follow us on Instagram at Orlando magicq and on Twitter at omagi HQ also remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel And subscribe and leave a five-star review on your favorite listening platform

In this Orlando Magic HQ podcast episode:

– Thoughts on All-Star Weekend
– Huge win in Cleveland
– Klay Thompson Rumors
– Record and seeding predictions
… and much more!

Timeline:

0:00 – Introduction
2:30 – Thoughts on All-Star Weekend
19:28 – Klay Thompson rumors to the Magic
26:50 – Magic big win vs Cavs
31:47 – Basketball Reference Record and Seed Prediction for the Magic
37:13 – Predictions for the week ahead.

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