Penny & Pops Podcast - Magicbasketballonline.com

Germany got off to a rough start in their 2024 Paris Olympics quarterfinal matchup with Greece. They don’t win that game without Moritz Wagner’s bench energy and Franz Wagner’s great second half. Germany are on their way to Thursday’s semifinals to face FIBA Evan Fournier, Victor Wembanyama and a rejuvenated France team. All of that and more! #LetsGoMagic Warning: Adult Language

We’re into the month of August. Magic training camp is September 30th, so we’re not too far away from that. Hopefully you’re watching and enjoying these Paris Olympics to help make the time pass. A lot of electric events already. We are of course on Wagner Watch. Germany went 3-0 in Group B play, taking down Japan, Brazil, and the hyped up hosts France. Franz Wagner is the second highest scorer behind only Giannis Antetokounmpo in this tournament so far. Germany are into the knockout stage now with a Tuesday quarterfinal meeting with Greece. A EuroBasket 2022 rematch. Tyus Jones, Anfernee Simons trade rumors, Chuma Okeke finds a new team, the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, how Franz and Mo Wagner have performed so far. All of that and more! #LetsGoMagic Warning: Adult Language

Wagner Watch 2024. Franz and Mo are again with the German men’s basketball national team. This time at the Paris Olympics. They’re our only current 2 Magic players participating in this two-week tourney. Two years ago Germany won bronze at EuroBasket in Germany. Last year they upset the U.S. on their way to winning gold in the Philippines at the World Cup. Now, they’re looking for more hardware at these summer Olympic games in France. All of that and more! #LetsGoMagic Warning: Adult Language

A lot has happened over the past month. The Magic drafted Tristan da Silva who looked great at Vegas Summer League. Orlando signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope from the Nuggets. We re-signed a lot of our own guys, but we sadly let Joe Ingles and Markelle Fultz go. Franz Wagner rightfully got a max rookie contract extension. With that said, Jeff Weltman has been very conservative this summer. We didn’t address two of our 3 needs (we’ve got more shooting, but we don’t have a point guard, and we don’t have a rim running shot blocking center or a better rebounder). There is valid concern that there’s a possibility the Magic take a step back. Other teams in the East got better, while it’s not certain that Orlando did as well. It’s likely, but it’s not certain that the Magic are better. Once Boston kept everyone to try and repeat as champs, it became evident that Jeff Weltman was probably going to slow-play this coming 2024-2025 season and depend on internal growth again. But we have flaws, and after winning 47 games

It’s Draft week. June 26th and 27th. Then on June 30th free agency begins. As expected, there’s a lot of chatter but no certainty about what’s going to happen from an Orlando Magic perspective. Could Goga Bitadze be returning? Could the Magic actually use both of their draft picks? Klay Thompson, Paul George, Malik Monk, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Brook Lopez get discussed. All of that and more! #LetsGoMagic Warning: Adult Language

This episode is dedicated to looking at the 29 other NBA teams’ rosters. Who the Magic have been linked to via rumors (newsflash: it’s already a lot, agents are using the Magic as negotiation leverage). Which players should be talked about more as a potential Orlando summer trade or free agency targets, and putting together realistic acquisition possibilities and how we want to fill up this 2024-2025 Magic roster. It’s time to go shopping. Klay Thompson, Paul George, Anfernee Simons, Malcolm Brogdon, Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, Nic Claxton, Mikal Bridges, Isaiah Hartenstein, Buddy Hield, Gary Trent Jr., Tyus Jones, are among the many players discussed. All of that and more! #LetsGoMagic Warning: Adult Language

We hope Magic fans have been able to decompress since the Magic’s 2023-2024 campaign concluded. This episode is about discussing all the players on the roster. How they did. Which players will be back next season? Who do we and don’t want back? Because to bring in players via trade and free agency, we’re going to have to say goodbye to some. All of that and more! #LetsGoMagic Warning: Adult Language

It was a very fun ride. But the ride ended Sunday as the Orlando Magic lost Game 7 in Cleveland. Yes the Magic were up 18 in the second period and it went bad from there with the Cavs making a historic comeback. But our young core got some massive experience moving forward. This 35th Magic season all-time is going to rank highly. Could easily argue it’s top-5, and that’s without winning a playoff series. Cleveland wanted us. They purposely tanked to get the Magic as their playoff matchup. They ended up getting a whole lot of us. They ended barely survived a 7-game series through hell. Paolo Banchero is a star. Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs struggled shooting in Game 7 but that doesn’t define their seasons and impact in the years ahead. Donovan Mitchell showed again why he is one of the NBA’s best players. All of that and more! #LetsGoMagic Warning: Adult Language

Powered by 20+ points each from Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs, Orlando’s young core held off a 50-point deluge from Donovan Mitchell and defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers inside Kia Center 103-96 in Game 6. Mitchell apparently scored the Cavs’ final 22 points in the contest. It doesn’t matter because the Magic have forced a Game 7 up in Cleveland on Sunday at 1 pm on ABC. It’ll be the first ABC televised game for the franchise since 2012. Speaking of 2012, Dwight Howard made his first return to a Magic game as a spectator since he left the team in 2012. Time can heal a lot of wounds over the course of a dozen years. Game 7 preview. Rashard Lewis and Mike Miller were also there. Despite it being scary in the third and early fourth periods, the Magic found a way and continue its rapid growth of development with every playoff game that passes. The Magic had previously not experienced a Game 6 since 2011. Next the Magic will play in its fourth Game 7 in franchise history. All of that and more! #

We finally got a close game in this series. Unfortunately, the Magic lost Game 5 in Cleveland 104-103 on Tuesday night. Paolo Banchero had another absurd superstar performance. Orlando is learning some great lessons from this Cavaliers series. Now it’s win or go home on Friday. The Magic are down 3-2 in the series. Bring it, Orlando. Why Jarrett Allen sitting out injured ended up helping Cleveland. Guard shooting struggles. Gary Harris’ injury. Game 6 preview. What adjustments Jamahl Mosley should make? Who starts in place of Gary Harris if he’s out? Cole Anthony’s effectiveness. All of that and more! #LetsGoMagic Warning: Adult Language

There is a spirit in Orlando, and Magic in our town. It’s a 2-2 series, as the Magic win these past two home games by 60+ points combined. And now the pressure is back on Cleveland to hold serve for Game 5. But this young Magic team is doing things it hasn’t done in over a dozen years. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are breaking NBA records one game at a time. And it’s been a very fun past few days. Now we’ll see if the Magic get greedy and take Game 5 from the Cavs. We can break Cleveland’s spirit if we push them past their mental limit. Jamahl Mosley finished second in NBA Coach of the Year voting. The Magic are the first team to hold their opponent to less than 100 PTS in 4 consecutive playoff games since the Raptors in 2019. It marks the first time in franchise history that Orlando has won consecutive playoff games by 20+ points. Also, the Magic became the first team in NBA History to trail a series 0-2 and then win Games 3 and 4 by a combined 60+ points. Previewing Game 5. All of that and more! #Le

The Orlando Magic lost Game 2 in Cleveland 96-86. Cavs hold a 2-0 series lead. Both losses had similar problems: bad first quarter starts, bad 3-point shooting, not enough guard scoring contributions, some shaky coaching player rotation choices, our guards leaving our bigs hanging out to dry defending the paint, and not being able to score enough in the paint or rebound. And yet both games Orlando still could’ve won. Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen have been outstanding. On top of all of this, there are Cavs fans on social media and also inside RocketMortgage Fieldhouse calling the Wagner brothers Nazis. In no world is that OK or acceptable. One Cleveland fan got kicked out for spewing insults in Franz Wagner’s face, but it’s more than just one person doing the same. Basketball karma is going to come for Cleveland, it may or may not be the Magic that delivers it, but it’s going to hit something fierce. We’re back home in Orlando with 2 full days off to prepare for a massive Game 3 Thursday night. The s

The Orlando Magic dropped Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first round playoff series in Cleveland against the Cavaliers. There were some first game postseason jitters, but the Magic had chances to win the game. Just need to hit shots. Other than Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Moritz Wagner, the rest of Jamahl Mosley’s 10-man rotation didn’t do nearly enough offensively. The guards in particular. A lot of mistakes are very fixable. Also discussing the Wall Street fan watch party experience. There are some potential decisions the coaching staff have to make going into Game 2. Does someone else start in place of Gary Harris? Should Anthony Black play? Should Mosley shorten his rotation by excluding players like Markelle Fultz? Either way, with nerves out of the way, the Magic should be better offensively in Game 2. All of that and more! #LetsGoMagic Warning: Adult Language

It’s here. Cleveland Cavaliers-Orlando Magic. Playoff series preview. We’re looking for our first series win since 2010. Cavs are looking to get to the second round for the first time since 2018. It’s the second time they’re facing each other ever in the postseason (2009 Eastern Conference Finals being the other). Reviewing the 2-2 regular season meetings between the two squads. Discussing various series questions: How healthy is Donovan Mitchell? Does Jonathan Isaac start? Can Franz Wagner hit 3s? Can Orlando score in the paint? What are the player rotations: Who is in/out? Is this Paolo Banchero’s coming out party? Can Jamahl Mosley bury his friend JB Bickerstaff? Final predictions. All of that and more! #LetsGoMagic Warning: Adult Language

As the Orlando Magic prepare for their first-round playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, we look back on the October predictions we made for the 2023-2024 NBA regular season. Awards, playoffs or not, team MVP, trades, over/under guesses, and beyond. Orlando’s team slogan for the postseason is #EverybodyIn. The NBA finally released the Magic-Cavs playoff schedule. Despite the play-in performance, why Klay Thompson would be a better Magic addition than Malik Monk. Why it’s ridiculous that Team USA already finalized its 12-man roster for the Summer Olympics before the playoffs conclude. And how Paolo Banchero could still end up on that roster. All of that and more! #LetsGoMagic Warning: Adult Language

The Orlando Magic are playoffs bound for the first time since 2020! The Magic concluded the 2023-2024 regular season 47-35. They will face the 4th seed Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the postseason. As the 5th seed, this is the highest playoff seed the Magic have been since 2011. Orlando now seeks to win its first playoff series since 2010, which is the franchise’s longest drought. It took game #82 to lock up a playoff spot, but it was well worth it considering how much the team struggled on their 3-game road trip in Houston, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia. Never underestimate the power of a Fan Appreciate Day. It’s the seventh time in team history the Magic have won the division title. Paolo Banchero concluded a historic sophomore NBA season becoming the youngest player in league history to lead a team in points, rebounds, and assists in a single season. Franz Wagner’s value continues to remain sky high considering how much the team struggled with him out. Head Coach Jamahl Mosley is relying on J

The Orlando Magic are 46-32. Currently the 3rd seed in the East as the scoreboard and schedule watching has been insane. There 4 games left in the regular season. Injuries to Franz Wagner and Jonathan Isaac have potentially complicated matters, as the Magic are just one game back of the 2nd seed, yet could realistically still fall into the play-in. Looking at everyone’s schedules, tiebreakers could play a factor. No matter what happens, the Magic will see postseason basketball, and that’s exciting. The Magic have the most wins in a season since 2011. Orlando is very close to becoming Southeast division champions (divisions matter). It’s rare and insane to see the 2-through-8 seeding race so tight coming down to the final week. That the Magic are this good with their three highest scorers being 22 years old or younger is new NBA history territory. All of that and more! #LetsGoMagic Warning: Adult Language

The Orlando Magic are 42-29. Currently the 5th seed in the East, with a top-6 playoff spot still very attainable with eleven games remaining in the regular season. Head Coach Jamahl Mosley received a very well earned four-year coaching extension. Why the newer style of NBA officiating should help the Magic long-term. The Anthony Black-Gradey Dick jersey swap. Paolo Banchero outduels Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans. Another heartbreaking loss to the Sacramento Kings. Markelle Fultz v. Anthony Black point guard minutes. Eastern Conference playoff seeding jostling. The 21-year-old 22/5/5 club. The Magic being in contention for awards. All of that and more! #LetsGoMagic Warning: Adult Language

The Orlando Magic are 37-26, currently the 4th seed in the East, winners of 5 games in a row (longest streak in the NBA at the moment), 13 of our last 16 games. Orlando is taking advantage of a favorable portion of its schedule and are arguably the hottest team in the league. Not only are the Magic on pace to finish with a top-6 Eastern Conference seed, avoiding the play-in entirely, but we’ve Jamahl Mosley’s squad has a legitimate chance to host a first round playoffs series. The Magic are battling with the New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, and Indiana Pacers for the 4th seed, and home court advantage in the playoffs. It’s genuinely in play. Who of these teams would you rather face in the playoffs (Heat and Knicks especially)? The Magic may even be able to hunt down the 3rd seed which is currently occupied by the Cleveland Cavaliers. *Correction: The Magic have not faced the Brooklyn/New Jersey Nets in the playoffs ever (as well as the Wizards and Knicks). Figured it out immediately after r

The Orlando Magic went from a tumbleweed trade deadline. To a Shaq jersey retirement that was almost perfect. To the All-Star Break where Paolo Banchero pulled off a tripleheader of Indianapolis participation. To Mac McClung and Trevelin Queen bringing back hardware for the Osceola Magic. To now, here we go, the Orlando Magic are 30-25 entering this sprint of a 27-game regular season finish where the Magic are 8th in the East, but are only 3 games back of the 4th seed. All of that and more! #LetsGoMagic Warning: Adult Language