Magic Crossover Episode 9: Season Recap Presented by Starry

Magic Crossover Episode 9: Season Recap Presented by Starry

[Music] welcome to Magic crossover presented by star I’m Kendra Douglas the 2023 24 season for the magic was a year that team achieved so much more than experts said they would the Bleacher Report said that they were going to end 40 and 42 Orlando Magic HQ 42 and 40 but as you could see this magic team fully believed in themselves and believed that they could be more than just reaching a playoff spot had coach Jamal Mosley challenged this team to buy into the system they understood that flourishing earning a fifth seat spot in playoffs and getting so much respect from those around the league I was summarized this season as um really three seasons in one is what it felt like super long super eventful year felt like it was uh honestly felt like it was never going to end but um just I would say it was special just being with these guys and accomplishing what we accomplished we we finally got to the playoffs which I think we had all been waiting on and uh you know we just got to you know regroup for next year I think just overall had such a good time with this group with this staff um and I I’ll have stories to tell about this year for uh for many years amazing experience with a with a incredible group of guys um I think everybody really enjoyed each other um and that makes it so much easier um to come into the building and work hard um and that’s not just players that’s staff people around the team um and everybody is kind of associated with it I think it was a a great season for the magic um you know it didn’t end it the way we wanted it to end but um you know us getting back into the playoffs um having a lot of success after you know uh the past few years and just being able to you know bring life to the city and just uh it was fun so I think it was a great season um we took strides as a team and I really think an organization and finding our identity um on the defensive end we’ve got a lot of skill on the offensive end as well we’re going to continue to get better at that um but I think we grew as a team and grew as individuals I think we had a lot of amazing plays amazing moments in the season and um I’m extremely thankful for it you know I understand how unique this team is to have the chemistry that we have and also be able to have the talent that we have from top to bottom we took the next couple steps as a as a group would say that we accomplished a lot of the goals that we set before the season terms of playoffs how we played I think we’re just a really tight tight group everybody really enjoyed being around each other and playing for each other be really fun like we did uh a really good job this year um a lot of people didn’t expect us to go as far as we did you know unfortunately we lost in game seven but um looking at the grand scheme of things I think we know shock the world you know put Orlando back on the map and I’m just super excited to be a part of this team and this organization I don’t think within the people close to the team we um probably did anything too out of the ordinary that that what we believed we could do but obviously to to to a lot of people on the outside I think we we surprise a lot of them and as fun as that is you you get a taste of the playoffs and game sevens and all and and and you want more so hopefully um everyone takes that into the offseason now and um individually gets better and and then obviously brings it back as a group and keep building on on what we did this year welcome back to Magic crossover presented by star joining me from the Orlando Magic is Bo Outlaw and Dan Savage thanks guys for joining me today now we just heard from the players and their thoughts on this past season so tell me what were some of your favorite moments from the regular season Dan we’ll start with you when I look back at the regular season I mean you could go to back to opening night against the Houston Rockets and that kind of set the tone there were a lot of prognosticators who put the magic and Rockets at about an equal level coming into the season both young teams on the rise the Rockets had such expectations after signing a few veteran free agents and the magic came out of the gate and blew him out and set the tone of what Kia Center would be like uh for the rest of the season and then as you look on as the season progressed the one that really told me the most about this team was that West Coast trip uh January 5th against the Denver Nuggets so many people were sick on that trip I think ourselves included uh and the magic went down early to the defending champs and it would have been so easy to just quit lay down fron Vagner was out Gary Harris was out Anthony black tried to give it a go played like four minutes and then he was out uh when was out and you know they rallied behind Palo banero who put up a triple double and they just found a way to win in a difficult situation and that was at the point where I started to be like okay this team is something different they know to find a way there is no quit and I thought that set the tone for the rest of the year and was such a big win for this team totally agree that Denver game was one really stuck out to me the most too Bo what about you I’m a one up you Dan the beginning of season I was a fan I was telling everybody to buy in don’t understand my thing was Health that we’re healthy to your point that Denver game we were not healthy but if you rewind that game before the Sacramento game that’s when you knew these guys was wanted to come out compete they went to we went to what double over time maybe triple but almost triple over time and you know right there the guys had to fight in them two games left on trip being Sacramento Denver you like okay okay we can easy lay down but when you put up that type of fight against Sacramento on the road after you have been on the trip then come in say hey we’re not going out without a fight and we got one more game then then comes San Savage’s Point guys out guys could have easily laid down so those two games right there let you know what those guys were made of because they say hey we we’re on the court we’re here to compete and whoever La him up we’re ready to go we know that this is a team thing but was there a player this season that really stood out to you that maybe you know received the challenge of wanting to be better this year and showed that I mean of course and we know Pao is definitely going into his second season and he was an Allstar so I wouldn’t be surprised if you said that but were there any guys that really stood out to you Bo it’s going to be easy that’s probably going to be the easiest one because the guy’s been with us the longest he hasn’t played the whole year he still didn’t play a whole year but when he played everyone knew his value they knew what he brought to the table what he was going to do and when he was available and played Jonathan Isaac made a big difference on the court on both ends of the Court that’s a good one Dan uh I have to go with jayen Suggs you know he was also a guy who early in his career dealt with injuries uh you know finally had an off season where he could really focus on some things and we saw it with his three-point shot he regained confidence in it he was knocking it down at a high clip and just his defensive tenacity night in and night out you know if you’re playing the Orlando Magic you were going to have a tough go at it defensively the team had such a strong record in the regular season finishing I believe 21-2 when they held teams under 100 and the head of that defensive snake was Jaylen Suggs Jaylen suxs had a pretty phenomenal season and it’s funny that you guys both talked about the health because one thing that led to the regular season success is the idea that the team bought into the idea of doing it by committee and early in the season the team was hit of course with injuries early as that tested that Mantra but we saw them pass with flying colors let’s take a look don’t bu commit is something that was preached to us from the beginning and it it showed you know its head in dividends throughout the season where guys were injured and down and new guys stepped up you think about goer early in the season um you know didn’t play much towards the end of the season but he carried a a big weight um from much part of the the early season and we wouldn’t be in the position that we are to be in a game seven if it wasn’t for his contribution and um so many guys Caleb Houston AB early in the season um carrying a load as a rookie um and playing really really well so so many guys stepped up some of the guys played really really well um truma had great games and so um it has been by committee and I’m sure that’s something that’s going to continue to stick with this team and it has to be when you think of you know what an NBA season is like you never know what’s going to happen from game to game and um if it’s not by by committee it’s hard to accomplish uh yeah I mean by committee is kind of what we went by during the year and uh it just kind of means like just the fact that um we had a lot of ups and downs a lot of injuries uh people in and out during the year and uh just the fact that we we stayed together as a team as one and uh we’re able to to to keep our play going the same way uh and yeah I mean everybody everybody was ready to step up I feel like and uh yeah I mean that’s that’s kind of what B committee means yeah I think that’s a big definition of or a definition or what this team has built off off of it’s uh everybody’s kind of needed um everybody has a role that’s very important we’re a very deep team we Embrace that and I think everybody kind of Embraces that role and um it’s fine with that and that yeah that speaks for a high level of connectivity um and again it’s it’s it’s easy to come into the building and work hard when you know you your teammate got you back and uh everybody’s kind of needed I think everybody really stepped up um and that’s what you need that’s that’s what good teams do um and yeah whether it was Wendell being out or um our guards sometimes being injured or or stuff like that myself getting hurt I think in those moments everybody really stepped up and um know make sure they were ready when you have this you know guys who are committed to the team and are on the same page it makes it easy or uh for for you to you know go through the year because it’s a long season and uh the guys really make it uh easier and then I mean just being on the same page just really helps and you know that you’re you’re fighting for the same same purpose same goal and it just makes it easier so Bo tell me just how special is it for a team to not only buy into doing it by committee but to actually execute it oh oh man that’s um that’s funny you ask me that question cuz I kind of been in that situation when they they they didn’t predict us to win 42 games though they predicted us a whole lot lower so when you have the coach telling you something and then your teammates say something you realize don’t no one matter other than the guys in that gym the coaching staff the trainers everyone who comes to that gym every day you understand what we’re putting into to how good we’re trying to be and us as media people we start to see it every day and say okay they might be on to something but other than that outside of the gym no one has a clue that the time you put in the sweat the injuries you dealing with the way you trying to get back on the court it’s a lot that goes on to see that finished product of winning so that makes it really really special because you know everyone doubted you and that put another chip on your shoulder like hey we going to show you guys that we’re better than you think so when we start winning don’t be come trying to shake my hand now just keep saying what you were saying as as the kids say you keep that same energy Dan do you want to add any additional comments to that I mean b nose is playing on one of the you know most underrated teams in NBA history that you know personified heart and hustle uh you know what that’s all about uh but from the magic side I think you know bow hit on the head you bring it every night and that showed in the magic 17 no record against sub 500 teams at home that they were always willing to bring it regardless of their opponent and to me what really personified the buy committee approaches final game of the season all the stakes are on the line you’re against the Milwaukee Bucks everybody wants to play a role in in getting this team to the playoffs and when Jonathan Isaac had it rolling you know he shuts down Chris Middleton goes over and switches on to Damen Lillard gives him problems Wendell Carter Jr is about to check in the game he sees ji rolling and says coach I’m good ji has it rolling and sits back down and allows ji to go and you could talk all you want about by committee but when it comes and it personifies itself in that form guys willing to self-sacrifice uh that’s a different level of special Bose teams had that uh this team had that and that’s why they had such great success yeah yeah for sure and keeping with you Dan early in the season there was a time when Goa and ab were both inserted into the starting lineup just how key was was that experience for them oh huge uh you know as you go through your NBA career and you go from college into the NBA you know people could tell you things tell you to expect certain things but until you go through them you can’t really you know know what you have to change what you have to alter and for Anthony black early in his career to play so many different roles know what it’s like to come off the bench know what it’s like to start be part of a season long AME winning streak uh those experiencers are invaluable and when you hit this time of year you get to really work on your craft because I think a lot of people don’t realize you know when you’re during the season so much of the practice time is either you know rest and Recovery or it’s about you know game planning and installing you don’t really get a chance to work on your individual game all that much except after hours and there’s only so much time you want to put in when you’re playing that kind of heavy workload so for ab now he gets to review all that tape work on all the things the footage of what NBA team told him and uh you know he really gets to improve so I think that’s invaluable and Goa you know attested to it uh during his uh exit interviews you know he was a he was a player as he put it kind of on the on the garbage heap uh you know a team had cast him aside put him on waivers the magic pick him up give him this opportunity and for him to get to start and play such a significant role meant so much to him it reproved to himself that he belonged and I think that’s you know builds boths well for his confidence and really help him going forward for both of you guys at the beginning of the Season we saw that coach Mosley placed a lot of responsibility on the team especially Paulo and fron and on their shoulders so how do you think those two were able to handle the pressure Bo I think uh the summer was big for both of those guys one won the championship the other one played in the Championships and he got experience from not being the man on that team he was part of a team that USA team where he was not the man he was a guy playing a different role trying to say how can I fit in how can I help the team rather than me be the team so he was figuring out both sides cuz when he was with us yeah he’s that go-to guy but he with the USA team he was a player on the team trying to fit in and say how can I help this team I got to play the five I’ll play the five and play the four I’ll play the four if I got a pass pick I’ll do that and as he learned to do that it helped him France you saw what he did in in this summer came in played played great that won a championship and it got him some leadership experience how can you lead a team when you need to and he did that and that’s that’s what I think the summer for those two guys was great and they brought what they did in the summer right into the season what about you Dan I mean how many times over the course of the season did we see something stat where it’s like Paulo’s the first player to do this since LeBron or you know Paulo and fron are the first young Duo to do this since Kevin Durant and and Russell Westbrook when you see when you have your name consistently amongst those players it says you’re doing something right uh especially at that young age but I think what’s most impressive is the you know willingness they bring on both ends of the floor night in and night out you never hear those guys saying after a game I need more touches uh or you know uh I didn’t bring it on that end of the floor those guys are so focused on both ends and what that does is it trickles down when you’re two or three you know youngest and and best players are bringing on both ends on the floor are playing unselfishly every night it makes it easier for everybody else uh on the roster to buy into that buy committee approach those two guys do it and it doesn’t help or doesn’t hurt matters I should say that in a playoff series you know you have that combination of guys you know go for 30 plus in four of those games front had you know three 30 plus games with 38 in game seven France had a you know clutch 30 plus Point performance in a win earlier in the series so those guys brought it every night this season and you know they’re what’s really making the Orlando Magic future still bright for sure so let’s hear what Paulo and France had to say about shouldering the responsibility and leading the team hey hey hey no you got go right there you don’t got to hack him go coming to get get that hey one stop right here one stop right here it was good I think it’s not easy it’s not always fun sometimes when you when you take you know tough losses and stuff like that tough tough battles but I think me and fr are ready for it we’re build for it let’s go boy yes sir stay lock stay lock hey hey they’re more physical this time be strong with it hey take care of the ball we good we care of the ball we good yo definitely something new especially uh for me that that’s something that I grow got to grow into and and get more comfortable with it but I think you know I tried my best to you know get more comfortable with that as the season went on and take the next step in that in my career let’s go let’s go let’s go that’s how work as pal Le Fran really cares um he wants to win He he’ll do anything to win whether that’s him taking over or or him being a pass first guy um he’s taken defensive challenges all year um which he’s he’s done really well when he’s aggressive and he’s rolling I mean he brings a certain type of imergy to this team where it just feels like you know we’re going to be unstoppable he gets the crowd hype he’s getting downhill he’s getting and1s he’s hitting threes and he just brings a certain type of energy that he brings a lot of energy just to the whole building especially the team as well you know fron is a great leader for us and and he gets a lot done on the court for us he does a lot with the bond hand so we did a great job of just running the team this year hold that hold that hold that hold I think he brings a a level of [Applause] toughness for both the guys Fran and and poo just the their dedication and their work ethic is is up there with with some I’ve been been lucky to play with some some pretty good players and um they’re right up there with with those guys on on how much time and and effort they put into to getting better the one thing I would say is just that I’m super grateful for that opportunity for being challenged in that way I think it’s a huge privilege especially as a young player we’re just getting started together as a team as a as a group as a Duo you know we’re just going to keep building and uh look forward to seeing what he does over the summer he’s going to continue his Ascension and I’m going to continue working on on myself and my game as we saw the Orlando Magic they earned that fifth seed in the playoffs faced Cleveland tell me what were some of yall’s thoughts as you saw this team you know go from game one to game seven Dan we’ll start with you uh just a tremendous amount of growth I think that first game they didn’t really know what to expect it at times showed but as the series went on they really progressed and we saw them even on the road have multiple chances to win you know multiple games but uh I really think that this team learned a lot from that experience there’s given them a lot to work on in the off season and you know it taught the the team a lot about about the roster what they may need and so I think for everyone in the magic organization this will be a big off season a lot of work a lot of internal growth and focus on what they can develop in the future what about you B yeah Dan said uh it kind of started for me hopefully I thought they would they would have took it with them into the regular playoffs but the play in I don’t think they were ready for that playin experience that first game you saw go to Brooklyn play don’t don’t play at all same thing we start the playoff series first two games we get we get hammered then we realize okay this is a different type of basketball so we need to change our mindset and they did that perfectly took care home and that’s what the playoffs about it’s not a playoffs till you lose at home so we took care of home they took care of home but like you said Dan we had a chance to get that game and now with all that experience and growth and understanding if we get that situation next year they understand what needs to be done and how it needs to be done and I guarantee you one of those first two games if we’re on the road it’ll be a different out it’ll be a different outcome because they get it and like hey ain’t no playing around ain’t say we’ll take care home we going to take care of this now and get this job over with yeah for sure let’s hear from some of the guys about their playoff experience um I just feel like it was it was more of a focus um just guys really just I keep saying embracing it just embracing the playoff moment just locking in watching film really knowing the opponent uh knowing knowing the game planing different schemes and like the playoffs is like chess so just each game was different and just being able to understand that going into each game and um just for all of us being able to even a young group to experience a game seven this early in the season I mean this early in their career um is definitely going to you know be huge especially for down the road from the regular season to the playoffs when playoffs came around like uh you know I I you go anywhere everyone’s loving you um it’s I don’t know it’s just a different atmosphere and I’m just so happy that I was able to be a part of it you know it was my first time personally being in the playoffs and um now I want nothing less of that like I want to be in the playoffs every year now those were um way more physical way way slower the game obviously every possession um has a different feel to it compared to the regular season season and um you know especially mentally after um you know in games that that where there’s a lot on the line um that are very emotional it’s important to come back mentally and and bounce back to next game and um I think in terms of that and obviously the details too of watching film and stuff like that in terms of that was a lot different my take away from the playoffs would be that just you know it’s a it’s a different ball game um you know it’s just it’s different you know everything I heard about it and saw and you know everything that people said is true uh it’s definitely you know something that you know it’s another level uh I would say you know just from the regular season and everything so uh definitely want to get back there and and win some more but um I think just as the first time I learned a lot in terms of just you know what I got to do and what I got to be ready for so Dan you were there for some of these exit interviews just what did you notice and what did you hear from the guys about how they felt about the season one thing that really stood out to me was everybody was kind of celebrating the fact that this team had exceeded expectations they had won so many more games and they were expected to they meet reached the playoffs they passed through the playin they didn’t even have to do that they had the fifth seed and this team was in no way satisfied I mean those guys were crushed uh doing the exit interviews 24 hours later after losing game seven uh they really expected to win that game and still be playing basketball and I think to a man that is going to motivate all of them heading into the off season and that’s what you want you want those guys to be hungry and they’re not going to in any way rest on their Laurels and as to that as kind of Bo was talking about a little bit earlier is this experience you know winning every game at home losing every game on the road has taught them the import import of having home court advantage in the playoffs they see that now they see why it’s so valuable and when they start going through the dredges of the Season whether that’s late December right before the All-Star break in early February they’re going to be thinking back to this experience and how important those games are not to let anyone go not to let go of the Rope when you’re late in the season you’re playing a team like Charlotte uh to make sure you go get that game because homecourt Advantage matters in this league and it’s going to be important for this team going forward to get that and I think a lot of those guys going through this experience really understand that now yeah sure let’s listen to some of the guys and what they have to say about how they’re looking forward to next season we’re excited you know I think as a team you know we saw what we did this year and you know we just it did nothing but motivate us really I think everybody just motivated to come back even better players coaches everybody and um I think you know the league is now kind of on notice of what we can do and so I think now we got of take it to another level so excited about about the future about next year um like I said I think we have a we have a great group um we really enjoy each other and I think chemistry is um you know not easy to find in this league especially and um yeah hopefully we can you know continue to build and um you know take the next step next year this this is just the beginning you know it’s this is the first for everyone or most of us here you know being in the playoffs so so um just that’s what to expect know a playoff team every year and um of course we’re going to go further next year for sure we didn’t take I still don’t think we took any game for granted this year not intentionally at least but next year we definitely won’t take any uh any game for granted we got to get every win we can cuz shoot home court is important you can see that with our series we just had guys you just heard how excited these guys are for the next season tell me what are you excited about for this upcoming season Bo we’ll start with you oh as we were talking there this D mention it this summer what’s going to happen pieces you need pieces you don’t need a lot of pieces you need a piece here and a piece there you what you can do the the the least amount of pieces you can bring in the the the less amount of people you got to teach a new system so if I can bring in a piece here and a piece there that you need that just add to what we got so this summer for me it’s going pretty pretty crucial because uh one one one right piece can make us a whole a totally different team just it’s just one player here one player there you be like oh man that was a good pickup or we don’t want to be on another end talking about why do we do that no we got a good group and it’s going to be hard for the coach to say do I get this guy is he too much is he too little so it’s going to be a lot going on so this summer right here for me is just trying to figure out who you going to get to fit into this piece the puzzle that we got going Dan now I think Bo made a great point but one thing I’m really excited to see next season is two players who’ve been slowly integrated into that and and figuring out what the magic culture is all about Anthony black and Jet Howard we saw AB through points of the Season uh we know he’s going to be working tirelessly this off season jet Howard said during exit interviews uh that he’s spending most of his summer here in Orlando working on things so that first to seconde jump can be so big for so many of these guys we saw what fron did from year one to year two we saw with Pao we saw what Jaylen did with a few off Seasons I think these two guys are going to come back and be big factors for the magic next season we talk about a magic team that needs shooting what does jet Howard bring you know he can do that in bunches so I’m excited to see what the summer holds for these two guys getting a look at them and the work that they put in and I think they could come back and big big contributors for your magic team while already knowing what the expectations are for a magic player what it’s like to be in that locker room and and they were slowly integrated into that and I think they’ll be play an even bigger role next season you’re so right and I’m looking forward to the upcoming season thank you Bo and Dan for being on Magic crossover presented by star

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