23! Now just keep even the rest of the game and we did our job

I personally like the lighter ones like Orlando’s but ours isn’t the worst

Magic next 2 games are against Wizards. Winning 2 of next 3 puts them at 14-6. Last 5 years any team that starts 14-6 or better ends up as a top 8 seed. About half above 48 wins. Their great defense is sustainable. If no major injuries, it’s pretty reasonable to expect the Magic to make the playoffs.

Even if top 4 is Boston, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Miami, and even if Cleveland, NY and Atlanta surge, is Orlando falling below Indiana and Brooklyn? I don’t think so, Magic are just a better team than those 2.

I think at worst the Magic are 8, but could end up as high as 3 if they keep playing elite defense. Their bench is deep enough where they can do what Cleveland did last year. Just don’t think they’ll catch a healthy Boston and Milwaukee over 82 games.

They’re a playoff team.

Suns feel like they’re a bit under the radar. They’re 11-6, inexplicably lost to the Spurs twice to give them 2 of their only 3 wins, have missed Booker for 8 games and Beal for 14.

Their 3 stars haven’t played a single game together and they’re 11-6 and 4th in the West. 1.5 games out of 1st.

Maybe injuries plague them but they’ll be a problem if they’re healthy and build chemistry. A healthy Suns team is easily pushing 55-60 wins and the 1 seed. They’re the new 2021 Nets where only injuries can stop them from dominating the West

Orlando is a really good defensive team. Really physical game that I feel like calls have favored us but good defense is definitely sustainable so I‘ll be interested to see how we handle the second half

That Hauser oop might be the only one he gets all year. I gotta rewatch that for Kornet’s reaction, that was hilarious

Just tuned in, any first half highlights/noteworthy contributors?

Wtf is this game

Tatum with 31-9-4 at halftime. That’s like, his end of game stat line and he just did it in 20 minutes.

Tatum always cooks in Charlotte, what is in the water

Oh, that’s right. Bridges is playing. I hope he gets postered 20 times and scores 0 points and everyone boos him

We going to shoot a million 3’s tonight

Yeah, fuck this game. Get us out of here

Offensive foul? Huh???

Chris Paul for Jordan Poole

Ugly shooting night from Tatum but a win is a win. Hope JB is okay, fuck these floors, thank goodness we only need to see them 2-5 more times

Big Dick Derrick comes through once again. After a horrible half he may have just saved this one for us

That was the most beautiful possession, how tf did this balloon to a 16 point lead

Tatum’s shots aren’t falling but we’re playing good ball and hitting big shots to stay in it. Hopefully they can find more rhythm and Tatum can turn it on to go on a huge run

Disrespect to Tyrese Haliburton. Averaging nearly 25 points, 12.5 assists, and 4 rebounds on 67.7% TS, only 2.1 turnovers per game, and the Pacers are 7-4 but the loss to Boston he didn’t play and they got blown out.

He’s also 2nd in BPM only behind Jokic and historically, the MVP winner is usually 1st or 2nd in this stat. Last 3 guys to not be top 2 in BPM and win MVP were Rose (3rd), Kobe and Nash.

I’m kinda shocked he’s not a top 5 candidate right now. If he carries a supporting cast of Myles Turner, Benedict Mathurin, Obi Toppin and Bruce Brown to a top 4 seed (3 of these guys were solid bench players last year), he absolutely has to be in the conversation.