Orlando Magic have to ask hard questions and face truths after loss to Memphis Grizzlies

Orlando Magic have to ask hard questions and face truths after loss to Memphis Grizzlies

Dear liner magic may not be at rock bottom but you certainly hope it is a disappointing loss to the Memphis Grizzlies that only heightens the intensity of this playoff Chase we’ll get into the thick of it on today’s episode of Locked on Magic you are locked on Magic your daily Orlando Magic

Podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team every Day and you are indeed locked on Magic today is January 27th 2024 my name is Phil proos mik and the expert and site editor over at orlandomagic.com follow me on Twitter Philip romd on today’s episode of lockon magic how alarmed should you be by the Orlando Magic’s loss to the Memphis Grizzlies

What does it say about the teams present about the team’s future or does this team just need to figure it out we’re g to get to all of that in an existential crisis edition of lockon magic we’ll get to that coming up here in just a moment

First we want to thank you again for making lockon magic part of of your day every day no matter when you listen to us whether it’s first in the morning whether it’s right we upload we truly appreciate you making lock on Magic part of your day every day remember there’s a

Great lock on podcast covering every single team in the NBA just search for locked on and the team you’re looking for the lockon podcast Network it’s your team every day the place we should start is at the end um that’s always where you start with these close games um because

Regardless of what we’re about to talk about um and the issues we’ll talk we were talking about today are issues we would talk about even if the magic did somehow pull this game out um but let’s start here Palo band Caro nearly saved the Orlando Magic Palo band Caro nearly

Helped this magic team pull this game from the jaws of defeat and that deserves recognition he scored 12 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter uh with the magic down by five he made several big plays in big shots to get the magic back into the game to

Put them in a position to win he missed some critical shots too including a free throw including a dunk including two three-pointers on one possession um there there there’s a lot to clean up but the magic are not anywhere near this game uh without poo banker and in fact

While a good chunk of my time after the game was spent trying to just tell people like yeah you know you’d love poo to take that last shot but he he made the absolute right read feeding Joe Engles uh for the potential game-winning three and if Joe Engles hits that three

This segment is devoted to why Palo banero is clutch again this segment is devoted to why Palo banero is just the redeeming quality and again whether you win or lose all these issues are present Palo vanan Caro is really really good he played a bad third quarter he had foul

Trouble in the first half still came through and nearly helped this magic team win it’s that actually that deserves a little bit more conversation because this magic team was good enough to win and defeat a very under Memphis Grizzlies team again I as as always give all credit to the Memphis

Grizzlies they played so hard they played so physical they were the aggressors from the beginning they took it to the Magic The Magic were playing uphill the entire way and they may not have been good enough to hold on to an 11-point lead they may not have been good enough to uh

Stop to figure out a really tough magic defense in the second half they may not have been good enough to put the magic away but the magic on this night were not good enough to win the game and that is part of the problem we can clearly see the magic are

Good enough to win games like this one from Friday night the Grizzlies won 107 106 scores on the on the rundown if you’re watching on YouTube Grizzlies won 107 106 Joe Engles missed a a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer wide open shot I’m not complaining about the shot I’m not complaining about the

Decision Pao made you pass it it was the right decision it was the right shot Jo Engles is a 41% three-point shooter yes he was sitting on the bench for 20 minute 20 minutes of real time um before taking that said shot but that’s a shot

The magic won if you’re not if you’re upset about Joe Engles taking a wide openen three you know I I’m sorry I don’t know what to tell you um but to for the magic to gets in that position to play the kind of Defense they had to play to get into that position

To do all that just shows us how good this magic team can be and it shows us that the magic did not play that way this entire game you know I look the magic should have won this game this is a game you expect to win when we looked at the

Seven games leading into the All-Star break after the little break that the magic had throughout through the middle of the week we said Memphis is a win that is a game the magic should win just like Detroit and St Antonio wins that gives you three of those seven and then

You just got to steal one more and maybe if you’re four and three everything calms down heading into the trade deadline you say okay the magic are starting to figure it out they’re starting to write the ship they’re starting to pick up ground again we can

Relax a little bit maybe we don’t need to make drastic changes this kind of loss is the kind of loss that makes you rethink that and again that I want to give the Memphis Grizzlies credit they were the better team but these are the kind of losses

Where after two days of practice and three days off the Magic’s defense looked slow looked a step slow all night long they were not able to execute their defensive strategy and look they figured it out in the second half but as poo B Carol said after the game they turned it

Up too late the fact that they understood they turned it up too late tells me they could have turned it up earlier and executed better and bid more Focus they played like a team that slep walked through the game that felt like they could show up and win well guess

What this is the NBA you know you can’t do that and it’s human nature and the magic talked about it and were trying to guard against it it’s Human Nature it happens but that that’s what they did and again we can see this team despite doing that was still good enough to win

Still had the ability to win the game but too many times they missed opportunities another eight missed free throws 21 for 29 from the foul line uh some more poor three-point decisions five of their 11 turnovers in the third quarter with a chance to take control of

The game um poor giving up 12 three-pointer in the first half losing track of Luke Canard on several occasions getting outmuscled and outworked in the paint with jiren Jackson Jr just pushing and shoving Wendell Carter around and look Wendell was trying jiren’s a big dude but these are all bigger

Issues these are all ultimately bigger questions for the magic to answer so is this an alarming loss is this loss a wake-up call the answer to that question is yes it is a wakeup call that this team has to be better after starting the season 14 and

Five Orlando is now 9 and 17 nine and 17 over their last 26 games that’s more than a quarter of the season nine and 17 is a 28 win pace for an 82 Game season I’m sorry this is not a 28- win team or at least they shouldn’t be I’m not

Saying that they a 14 and5 team 14 and5 is let me math real fast 14 and five is a 60 win team this is not a 60 win team either but they’ve been playing the last quarter plus of the Season at a 28 win Pace that’s not going to get the job

Done and again this game can be symbolic of the bigger picture of the Season we can see how good this team’s defense can be we can see how good poo banko can be we can understand conceptually that this team is better than their record and yet they’re not executing and playing like

It and that raises a whole host of new questions that raises a whole host of new issues to figure out because in many ways this game is symbolic and exemp ly of all the big issues that we’re talking about with this group and that we’re trying to figure out with this group as

That trade deadline approaches the message from the Orlando Magic was to stick together and figure it out but undoubtedly as we look at this game there are ex there are issues that the magic probably can only solve externally we’re going to go bit by bit through what went wrong for the Orlando

Magic and the loss of the Memphis Grizzlies we’re going to get to that coming up here in just a moment we want to thank you again for making lockdown magic part of your day every day be sure to check out the lockon sports today 247 streaming Channel on YouTube it’s the first ever

National sports streaming Channel on YouTube you can find uh the latest from local experts like me as well as our national shows covering all the big stories in sports check it out today locked on sports today on YouTube I I you know I will admit that

I’m going to be a tick late on this um I criticize Jamal Mosley sometimes for being a tick late on adjustments and and you know I I’m not someone that’s going to rush to judgment uh I will admit that that is that is part of who I am that’s

Part of the way I approach these things I’m not someone that’s going to overreact to one bad loss one bad game there are 82 of these things you’re G to have a few stinkers and sometimes those stinkers will come in games like this it happens I would say the magic did have a

Stinker but coming off of Monday’s loss certainly extremely disappointing that this is the way that the magic played and again we know they can play a whole lot better that that that is the driving Point here we know this team is not living up to its potential and again not

A 14 and5 potential but we know that this team is better than a 500 team they they are a 43 44 maybe 45 win team and right now they’re playing like a 30- win team and and that is plainly unacceptable the question and so I I I’ve come around on this as we’ve

Watched this team develop as we’ve watched this team come together as a group today this team is probably going as far as they’re going to go this year yes Palo ban Caro will get better fron voger will get better players will get better but if this magic team ends up in the S

Eight game I find it hard to believe that this group as currently constructed is ever going to do more than be in the S8 game and again y’all may have made that conclusion sooner you may be saying Phillip I’ve been saying that for for weeks why are you just coming to this

I’ll admit to being late I want some more data I want to give these guys a chance I I am a big believer that you should give these guys a chance that’s that these players have earned that opportunity and I will say this again um

I know I wrote this on my patreon page I will say it to you here these seven games including Friday night leading into the All-Star break are the seven most important game or heading into the trade deadline are the seven most important games of the season the magic

Are going to determine whether they’re going to stick with this group or move on over the course of these next seven games and frankly Friday’s game may have pushed some concl you know I don’t know if it single-handedly pushes conclusions sooner but Friday’s game exemplified all the ways this magic team is

Deficient and why what they need isn’t on the roster look Jonathan Isaac you know the magic talked about this after the game and Jonathan Isaac and poo benero all said the right things they’re not concerned with what they don’t have they can only be worried with the players

That they do have and I do run into this comment a lot where they’re saying M where someone tells me the magic got to get some shooting the magic got to get some sho I’m like I I I’ll be like I don’t you know I don’t

Disagree but I will say this too this team has shown us that they can win without shooting they can be a bad shooting team and still win it’s harder it makes you a little bit more one-dimensional it makes you susceptible to bad nights like this one and the

Magic I think the ma I think I counted the magic now had 14 games where they shot less than 30% from three I have no clue what that ranks the rest of the league but we all know what the Magic’s Biggest weakness is and if the magic could make a darn

Three-pointer they win this game and we could say that about a lot of games the two for 30 the two for 28 performance against Cleveland uh back in December there are a lot of these games and look you follow me on Twitter at omic Daily I’m going to look it up probably first

Thing in the morning I’m going to look at nba.com tracking stats and I will probably tell you that something like 30 of the Magic’s 34 thre pointer in this game the closest Defender was four or more feet away the quality of the magic shots aren’t the problem Orlando shot

Nine for 34 from three by the way Palo Bano was two for N I did not love his shot selection on a lot of those threes just kind of rushing threes he had two really bad misses um with the magic down by two with about 230 to play again

Missed opportunities but Cole Anthony was over for four Joe Eng Les was over for four those are reliable three-point shooters that Miss shots again you can live with making or missing shots sometimes uh but this is a repeated problem and undoubtedly it’s a problem that’s increasingly difficult to overcome if

The you know the magic work really hard to make up this ground again Memphis made 12 of their 15 three-pointers there 15 12 of their 15 makes came in the first half they were 15 for 41 for the game that’s 36.6% they had a six three-pointer advantage that’s eight

Three point that’s eight that’s a six three-pointers 18 points Orlando made up 13 of those points at the foul line Orlando does Orlando makes up for their lack of three-point shooting by getting to the foul line which they did in this game they were 21 of 29 from the foul

Line again you miss eight free throws in a one-point game including two down the stretch that stuff kills you Orlando got outs scored in the paint 50 to 48 that is is usually a huge huge weakness for Orlando now only getting 38 field goal attempts in the paint instead of scoring

Their usual 50 to you know instead of scoring like 55 which is their averag is around 52 53 the the magick are what what I’m trying to get out here is the magic are constantly working uphill and and honestly like that’s the thing I’m tired of that’s the thing I’m tired of saying

Because if the magic were a normal team if the magic were normal shooting team I’m not even saying an Exemplar shooting team if they shoot 33% you know if they shoot uh 33% that’s 11 threes they make two more threes in a one-point game they win 11

Threes when you’re giving up 15 and this was a bad three-point shooting defense night for the magic you’re winning those games that’s at just 33% that’s below average we’re not even asking for a lot this team needs shooting and the fact that they had had to bring Joe Engles

Cold Off the Bench to just give them a little bit of spacing to make the defense think that they might make a three that’s that’s the hard part um so again like the magic have enough to solve this problem if the magic don’t make a move at the trade

Deadline they have enough to to to keep themselves afloat this season again we know they’re better than this but unfortunately for the last quarter plus of the season they haven’t played better than this and yeah injuries are a big factor in that but the offense continues to just be horrendously bad and even

Though the magic have one of the best defenses in the league and played great defense in this game giving up only 39 points in the second half they give up 37 in the second quarter they give up 39 the rest of the game the magic put themselves in a position to win their

Defense did everything humanly possible to win this game and once again the the offense dro the ball once again the magic couldn’t make shots they couldn’t make good decisions and a lot of that is you know you watch some of the turnovers the magic had in that third quarter some of

It was just overe eagerness some of it is just youth but this team lacks Poise and so again these are the big weaknesses shooting first and foremost but there’s a reason why we talked Malcolm Brogden and tus Jones to start our trade deadline tour there’s a

Reason why like dejonte Murray is on my list next it’s there’s a reason why we’re going through these veteran point guards people pitch to Dennis shuder you know there there’s there’s a lot of point you know the magic needs some veteran Poise and yeah a guy in the

Starting lineup who can hit a shot from the guard spot that can at least get the defense’s respect um you know again the the defender came off of Joe Engles even though Joe Engles a 41% three-point shooter again stopping poo is the right move but you’re just not making them pay for

These decisions and even then teams aren’t scared of the magic good Shooters making threes so yes you know the magic need to stick together they can’t let this one they can’t let this loss or Cleveland loss snowball and make things worse but here’s but honestly the thing is it’s

Already worse the thing is the magic are already playing at a level they should not be playing at they should have graduated from this level already you know you’re 500 whatever you’re playing at a 35 win pace for a quarter of the Season whatever that keeps you in the

Game the magic are nine and 17 over the last 26 games um that might might have made us happy two years ago when we were still in a rebuild mode you’re losing one game for every two for every three that you’re you’re winning one game for every

Three that you play that that that’s that’s fun when you’re just St starting to rebuild but this is a playoff team and so the magic have to start figuring that part out the magic have to start playing up to their potential we know what they need and

Look Marco folz I thought had a really nice game we’ll get to the box score here in a minute but down the stretch the magic were running Anthony black and you could tell the magic lacked experience they lacked poise to get the best shots to make the right plays and Palo Bano is

Brilliant like he is doing stuff in spite of this but I think I’ll be late I’ll be last on this train the the things that will solve the Magic’s problems are external and a game like this just crystallizes that more yes this team needs to stick

Together yes they need to find away yes they have enough but I think we all know and I think we can all conclude this group can only go so far and we might be bumping up against that ceiling right now we’ll go through the box score update you on the playoff standings and

Situation we’ll get to that coming up here in just a moment so uh you know again I want to I want to stress this like this was a game of missed opportunities um the magic are good enough to win this game they should have won this game again no offense to

Memphis listen to lockon Grizzlies I’m sure they’re celebrating a really nice win for them their guys played their guys played harder they were first to every loose ball they were draining threes the Magic The Magic couldn’t figure them out for a half and even then the magic was still in the game wasn’t

Like the magic were blown out of this thing and they had to scramble to get back in uh but the the magic put themselves in the hole as much as Memphis put them in and again Memphis has to take ad you have to take advantage of opportunities ya ya ya y y

I don’t want to take anything away from Memphis but the magic lost this game like the magic had enough to win this game and they didn’t and right now like so much of what we’re talking about are missed opportunities it was a stretch of you know it’s five turnovers they didn’t

Lead to any Memphis points but they missed opportunities that that the magic could have used to take the lead build some momentum get a fast break a lot of them came on fast breaks where the magic just threw the ball around and missed shot and missed even opportunities to

Get a shot it’s missing open threes and building that momentum and confidence that you need it’s the missed free throws 21 of 29 from the foul line look 29 free throws is exactly what the match need to do you’re making two more of those if you’re 24 of 29 you’re 25 of 29

You’re not going to make all your fre free throws obviously you’re 25 of 29 you’re only missing four you win this game you don’t even you’re not even playing from behind your defense can get the job done if you make your free throws and it’s missed opportunities now in the

Standings look the magic are losing a lot of games right now they’re still gaining ground in the standings like like Indiana’s starting to run away from them a little bit big win for the Pacers tonight against the Suns but the magic had an opportunity to TI heat for

Seventh and they’ll get that opportunity again next Tuesday probably when they head to Miami Miami is really struggling right now magic need to tie that season series to give them give them a chance to host that seven eight game but the magic had opportunity to tie Miami tonight they didn’t their game

Back of Miami two and a half back of Indiana for six two and a half ahead of Chicago in eighth the magic have slipped considerably down the standings and and you know we all banked on the schedule getting easier and and game like Memphis is a is is the schedule getting easier

And they didn’t get the job done at the end of the day they still got to get the job done and right now it’s a struggle to get there plain and simple it is a struggle for this team to get where it needs to be to get where it wants to

Go and that’s why you honestly like a loss like this increases the again I will I will you know you’re probably sitting there saying like Phil I’ve been saying to Magic need to make a trade I’ve been you know hovering on that a loss like this makes you feel the urgency and the

Need to make a trade to to say what we have is not enough even for what we want to accomplish this year as small as that might be and we might have to do something more immediately to get us back on the right track magic only have six games left to

Show Jeff welman and company that they can get back on the right track and look we all sitting here saying they need shooting we know that they probably need a more long-term option and a shooter at point guard this game proved that in a lot of ways as the magic looked

Disorganized and looked just a really off at the point of attack defensively um they they didn’t get good shots all the time they got rush they took Rush shots they took bad shots the ball didn’t get you know Pao is a cenal point guard so the ball’s always in his hands

But sometimes you need a on offensive rebound a guard to say hey stop get a shot don’t just jack up the first thing that you get magic needed that they needed that calm and that Poise and they’re missing that we could see if we could see all this management can see

All this and that’s why it very much feels like as these loses pile up as the magic continue to struggle to find their footing to find that Groove to find that that that Vibe again that this team may I don’t want to say this team peaked in November I think

They will get better I think they will figure some things out but this team’s this team is struggling to overcome its deficiencies more and more and the energy and the the vibe of the early part of the season is gone we are in the

Grind we are in the we are in the random Friday in January when you got to find your energy and this team is finding it difficult to find that energy over and over again let’s go through the box score though Palo ban Caro another fantastic game he scored 27 points scored 12 of

His 27 in the fourth quarter ended up eight for 20 from the floor two for nine from three that makes him six for 11 on twos which is really nice nine for 11 at the foul line again missed a big free throw late but you know 9 for 11 from

The foul line will get the job done five rebounds six assists did half three turn turnovers um the magic are not in this game without poo banero uh you know he kind of skated through the second he was in foul trouble in the second quarter didn’t play a lot that allowed Memphis

To take the lead um he didn’t really play great in the third quarter uh and that kind of you know the magic eventually picked up their pace and got back into the game but um but that that prevented the magic I think from getting ahead Pao is carrying this team and you

Could see him start to get himself going in that fourth quarter he carried the team through the fourth quarter like that like I I I do think Paulo banero will be named an allar on Thursday the Magic’s record is going to be the thing

That hurts him and if the if he ends up not being an All-Star it’s gonna be on the team it’s not gonna be on Pao he’s doing everything he can it’s GNA be on this team for not stepping up to the plate and and picking up wins when they

Need to pick up wins um you know again voting you know the magic will play their last game before votes are turned in probably Monday in Dallas that they do play Wednesday at San Antonio um you know Palos Palos made his case and made a statement the team may maybe the thing

That prevents him from making it but he is playing at an All-Star level that that much should be perfectly clear fron vager had a decent game 18 points six for 15 shooting four for eight from three two for three from the foul line five rebounds four assists did have five

Turnovers um fron I thought got into a good Rhythm from three although he still missed a few shots um it still just looks like he’s working his legs back into into Rhythm uh you know again and I think one of the things we do have to

Keep in mind is these guys are not automatons it does take a little bit coming back from injury to get kind of fully back into the swing of things there are you know the magic are trying to keep playing groups intact they’re trying to keep their their players

Together um it still takes a little while for lineups to figure themselves out as good as that Miami game looked I I do think one of the things and again the magic still should have won this game I’m not excusing the loss but it does still feel like the magic are kind

Of getting their feel back together as a group right now and that explains some of the inconsistency uh for this team uh you know I think fron is still getting his legs under him so hopefully that comes sooner than later but again still did decent to get his numbers wend

Carter a solid game offensively 20 points eight for n shooting two for three from Deep nine rebounds for him um two block shots just wendo Carter’s versatility offensively is why he’s the starter as much as people love Goa batad love and like Mo Vagner wendo Carters

Versus ility is why he’s starting he is usually a good Defender but this was a particularly bad defensive game for him jiren Jackson Jr scored 30 points 13 for 30 shooting one for five from three three for four from the foul line eight rebounds for uh jiren Jackson Jr there

Were just a lot of possessions where jiren Jackson Jr got the ball in maybe the mid post did a big hard dribble move and just pushed Wendell Carter off of his spot you know just bumped him out of his spot and wendale Carter just really struggled with jiren Jackson J your size

Wasn’t that wend car you know wend Carter didn’t necessarily play Bad defense he just got outmuscled and and you know T you know wend got his shots in he He adjusted he made some better plays in the second half but the magic really struggled to handle jiren Jackson

Jr because jiren jiren Jackson Jr made quick moves physical aggressive moves that just dislodged Wendell Carter and took him out of a spot um so a rough game on that front for Wendell but he did make up for a lot of it on the offensive end and and that part is

Impressive his Verity offensively is just so valuable for this team um Marquel F said 10 points five for seven shooting three assists in 21 minutes I thought he played really really well did a good job getting downhill did a good job getting into Pockets he found ways

To score obviously still not a stretch Beyond still obviously not really a threat Beyond layups um his real problem though was his defense uh folz really struggled at the point of attack he lost Luke kard on several occasions in the second quarter um if you look at the

Second quarter box score folz was minus four um you know he really struggled kind of tracking Luke Canard and and Memphis wasn’t running a traditional point guard that like Canard and and John Contra were the were the point guards Canard was five for 10 from three uh folz really struggled at the again

Same same deal as against Cleveland just struggled to keep his man in front of him and navigate screens that’s not all fultz’s fault the defensive communication in the first half was just God awful again just not the level of detail that you need like so much what the Magic’s problems are

Are details it’s being at the level of screen it’s being locked in and on a string defensively which again the magic found in the second half like they got a huge 24 second shot clock violation that gave them the ball and a chance to win with 4.8 seconds left just beautiful

Beautiful defense one of the best defensive possessions of the season um their defense stepped up late in this game but again they were put in that position because the defense didn’t step up early in the game they got to do you got to do your work early just like the

Post play you got to do your work early um so so a mixed back for marquel’s offense does seem to be coming a little bit easier now just got to get that defense back because that’s that’s one of the things that he’s really valuable at for this team uh the bad news Jaylen

Suggs only played four and a half minutes in this game missed both of his shots he ended up banging knees in the first quarter left with what is being described as a as a bruised knee um that was a big absence in this game not going

To lie his you know his defense was certainly missed um his energy was certainly missed as well um but again magic still should have won the game without him hopefully Suggs is back Sunday against the Suns Off the Bench Mo Vagner scored 12 points Jonathan Isaac 10 points played 2209 finished the game

For the magic deserved to finish the game got some good defensive possessions on uh on jiren Jackson Jr uh in the SEC in the fourth quarter did not get credited with a block which does not seem right I think he definitely had one but um Isaac Isaac had one of his better

More active games uh you know I was definitely for closing with him closing with fronds at the two I didn’t like necessarily playing Anthony black at that spot Anthony black missed all three of his shots only scored two points uh had five fouls and two of those fouls

Were just really cheap reachin that were not smart um but you know the magic went for defense in that in those closing moments and that’s what they got and they didn’t score enough obviously to win the game Cole Anthony Five Points seven rebounds four assists did shoot

Just two for eight from the floor and again 0 for four from Deep Orlando shoots 46.9% from the floor N9 for 34 from Beyond The Arc 21 for 29 from the foul line they only have 11 turnovers but again five of them coming in the third quarter when the magic had an

Opportunity to take the lead kind of start building some momentum just momentum killing plays again so much of this game is just missed opportunities um the magic had lots of opportunities to take control of this game the magic had you know the magic fought they grinded they they you know they took

That big they took some big punches from Memphis Memphis was not a team that was going to knock them out out like that again no offense to Memphis this just isn’t a team that was going to knock them out you know they got some really big performances like I said jiren

Jackson Jr 30 points Luke Canard 15 points Z zier Williams Off the Bench seven for1 shooting 17 points three for six from three uh you know they got some really good things they had 30 assists in the game you know Memphis was really dangerous and and really made the magic

Pay in a lot of ways for their for their lock defense but they were never a team that was going to completely knock this magic team out they let Orlando hang around Orlando gave them you know Orlando took advantage of that opportunity and again just came one shot

Short just from the magic perspective we know this magic team can play better to where they don’t need to wait for Memphis to let them hang around this is game the magic needed to take and the magic didn’t take it and and that’s ultimately I think the bigger concern

For this team and and the bigger concern as we get closer to the trade deadline is say what do the magic need this is a game that makes you question a lot of those things because Orlando could and should play better this isn’t just a an

Issue of making or missing shots if we were just that and it was like oh Memphis had a nice shooting night and look Z Williams made some tough threes and Memphis made some tough threes but if it was just a night where well Memphis made some shots it is what it is

That would be one thing and Orlando missed some shots that would be one thing this was an issue of Orlando was not aggressive Orlando did not get downhill Orlando did not play their style of basketball and offense and defensively they were not sharp and they

Were not tight and and that is a huge issue for this team especially coming off of two days of practice when we expected thisam to come out a little bit sharper defensively giving up 31 points in the first quarter after having two days off and two or having three days

Off in two practices that’s just unacceptable that’s just not coming out ready to play um you know whether that’s on the coaches for maybe going too light on these guys whether that’s on the players for not taking the opponent seriously it it’s just a general lack of

Po and maturity that playoff teams have to have and again I’ve said this a million times we’re thinking about April this was not a play play off performance you know sometimes you just have a night where you just got to get out a win you

Got to find a way to win a game ugly magic are usually pretty good at that um they couldn’t find their way and and and that’s been an increasing problem for this team you know they’ve dropped some games that they should have won they should have beat Miami in Miami a couple

Weeks ago they should have beat Atlanta in Atlanta last week these are games the magic should win um and are good enough to win uh but they’re struggling to put these pieces together and and again time is running out the magic have decisions to make uh they should they they know

Where they should be they know what they’re capable of and they’re not playing up to that that capability and and that’s only going to increase the pressure to make some decisions and make some tough calls to shape this roster into what it should be plain and

Simple that’s going to do it for me today though I want to thank you all again for listening to today’s episode of lockdown manchic of course find me on Twitter Philip rore OMD subscribe to the podcast and apple podcast SE tun in him Google Spotify Odyssey and all podcast

To your podcast enable list device for the latest on the Orlando Magic be sure be sure to check out orlandomagic da.com you can follow us on Twitter magicd and of course if you want to watch this podcast you can find it on YouTube search for locked on Magic you can also

Check out my patreon page yourl magic Hub you can find that at patreon.com orom Magic hub for exclusive uh exclusive articles as well as occasional uh Playbook videos as well so we’ll get to you get to get all that uh for one low price and you get to support me

Which is very very cool because I I I appreciate all your support and you know you allows me to uh cover the magic at at the level that I covered as well don’t forget to check out now that you’re un listen to us be sure check out the lockon sports today 247 streaming

Channel on YouTube you can check that out here from local local hosts like me as well as our national shows covering all the big stories in sports but that’s going to do it for me today I want to thank you all again for listening to today’s episode of lockdown Magic on our

Next episode we’ll recap the Magic game against the Phoenix Suns we’ll do that Sunday night Monday morning so be sure to check that out hopefully it is not not too bad with the way scoring has been going with Deon Booker and Kevin Durant but the schedule Marches On You

Got to play the teams in front of you and you and as Memphis show tonight you always have a chance we know the magic Gable beating Phoenix we saw the mob do it a couple weeks ago they gota they got to get themselves ready and they got to

Put themselves back in a position to win but that’s going to do it for me today I want to thank you all again for listening to today’s episode of lockdown magic for Orlando Magic daily and lockon Magic this has been Philip Rossman Reich we’ll see you again next time for

Another episode of lockon magic

The Orlando Magic’s loss to the Memphis Grizzlies is the kind of loss that makes a team ask some hard questions about itself. The hot start is deep in the background, the team is struggling to stay afloat and the questions heading to the trade deadline are only getting louder. On the court, the Magic must stick together and try to find a way — they have enough. But off it, it is clear the team has to start addressing some of its bigger questions. Perhaps sooner than later.

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOMagic?sid=YouTube

Locked On NBA League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, WNBA & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNBA

#OrlandoMagic #PaoloBanchero #NBA

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
Grammarly
When it comes to writing, Grammarly is there to support you from start to finish. With one click, you can easily and easily brainstorm, rewrite, and reply with suggestions based on your context and goals. Go to grammarly.com/PODCAST to download for FREE today.

Hungryroot
Hungryroot is the easiest way to get fresh, high-quality food delivered to your door. They’ve got healthy groceries and simple recipes, all in one place. Just go to Hungryroot.com/LOCKEDON, to get 40% off your first delivery and get your free veggies.

LinkedIn
LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNBA. Terms and conditions apply.

eBay Motors
For parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotos.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.

BetterHelp
This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDONNBA today to get 10% off your first month.

PrizePicks
Go to PrizePicks.com/lockedonnba and use code lockedonnba for a first deposit match up to $100!

Gametime
Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase.

FanDuel
Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY in BONUS BETS – GUARANTEED when you place a FIVE DOLLAR BET. Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)