To better defend the 3, Orlando Magic must be better at point of attack
The Orlando Magic have put an emphasis on defending the paint and that has cost them beyond the arc. Something that needs to get fixed fast.
It happened time and time again Sunday. LeBron James would come across a pick and roll, the Orlando Magic would attempt some type of coverage to slow him down as the defense shifted around to stop the dribble penetration.
James would turn the corner and meet that help defense and whip the ball quickly to the weakside. The defense was in good position to stop the drive and then all of a sudden they were not. The ball would find J.R. Smith or James Jones or somebody and leave Victor Oladipo or Tobias Harris scrambling to get back to the 3-point line to contest the shot.
This is very much the power of LeBron James.
It is also a product though of the Magic’s renewed emphasis on protecting the paint. The focus that comes from digging down to protect the paint leaves open the 3-point line. The Magic seem fine giving up this shot at the moment.
It is not a new issue, and teams like the Hawks and Cavaliers with their great ball movement put these shortcomings into extreme focus.
The Cavaliers shot 18 of 35 from beyond the arc Sunday and only two of those were unassisted — both by Kyrie Irving. Cleveland moved the ball extremely well, and that is an understatement.
“Our challenge is can we continue do it over and over and trust what we do,” James Borrego said of the team’s defensive rotations. “There were times when I felt like we did it well, we did it perfect and they made shots. There were otehr times we did it well, did it perfect and they missed. There were other times when we didn’t do what we were supposed to do, we didn’t execute our defensive gameplan and it hurt us. Our group has to continue to trust what we’re doing. Stay with our scheme, stay with our identity and keep growing from that.”
Since James Borrego took over, the Magic have seen their points in the paint allowed decrease significantly, going from an average of 40.6 points allowed in the paint this season (42.8 points in the paint allowed per game while Jacque Vaughn was head coach) to 33.4 points allowed in the paint per game since James Borrego took over.
But Orlando has given up 19.5 3-point field goal attempts per game this season and 35.6 percent shooting for the year. Since James Borrego took over, teams are shooting 19.8 3-point field goal attempts per game and 33.3 percent shooting this season.
In the last nine games, the Magic have given up at least eight 3-point makes. Teams are averaging 12.0 3-point makes per game on 44.3 percent shooting. It would appear the Magic have just hit a rough patch as teams have figured out.
The real issue might come not from the focus on the paint, which should continue, but from the team’s focus at the point of attack.
“I think it all starts with not having defensive breakdowns early and not letting them drive to the paint so we don’t have to help as much,” Nikola Vucevic said. “When you help really deep and then you have to recover, it’s hard especially when a team has great shooters like Houston or Cleveland have. By the time you get out there, they are already releasing it. If they are hot like last night [against Cleveland], it could be a long night. We have to make sure that we do our job early and not have defensive breakdowns so we don’t have to help as much.”
Defending a player the likes of LeBron James and like in Tuesday’s game against James Harden and the Rockets will put stress on any defense. Both are masters with the ball in their hands and can wreak havoc on defenses off the dribble.
The Magic though continue to have to do better cutting off ball handlers quickly and recovering after the screen. It is at this point of attack that the Magic have struggled as guards have attempted to come around screens. The Magic have had Vucevic hang back and try to contain the ballhandler while the guard recovers from the screen. This has been happening late, forcing a weakside defender to guard the roll man and leave the corner open.
When it comes to James or a player of his caliber, it could mean having an extra defender come to the paint to cut off the penetration Vucevic could not control.
And that is how open threes happen. This deep dig is part of what Orlando wants in protecting the paint. James did not get to the paint, but Tobias Harris’ deep dig (or Elfrid Payton‘s late dig) left Kyrie Irving open in the corner for three.
Of course, the Cavaliers as one of the top offensive teams in the league make teams make this difficult decision more often than not.
The Magic have clearly put in their lot in defending the paint. And are executing that part well. Now comes the part where they have the trust to get back out to the 3-point line and eliminate this latest hole in their defense. With more focus on stopping the ball handler on pick and rolls, there is the semblance of a good defense.
The execution just is not there yet consistently.
And with more stars coming up on the schedule, this will have to be something the Magic continue to put their focus on.