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3 Keys to Orlando Magic Victory over San Antonio Spurs

By Brett David Roberts

Feb 4, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker (9) is patted on the head by teammate Tim Duncan during the second half against the Orlando Magic at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 4, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker (9) is patted on the head by teammate Tim Duncan during the second half against the Orlando Magic at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Orlando Magic have a huge handicap against the San Antonio Spurs, but there are some key aspects which could lead to Orlando pulling an upset.

San Antonio comes into this matchup at the Amway Center against the Orlando Magic as 10.5-point favorites and for the Magic to pull the unlikely upset it will begin in the frontcourt.

The Spurs start the cumbersome Boris Diaw alongside future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan, while bringing Tiago Splitter off the bench as a third big.

But the Magic may be thin up front. Dewayne Dedmon is nursing an ankle injury and listed as probable (more info to come), while Nikola Vucevic and Channing Frye will both be counted upon more heavily to control the boards.

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    • 1) Rebounding: The Spurs have the third-best rebounding percentage (50.7) among Western Conference playoff teams, and the Spurs take care of the basketball (14.3 turnovers per game).

    The Magic’s key to winning will be both keeping par on the glass while and:

    2) Force miscues and get out in transition: Since James Borrego took over as coach, Orlando’s pace has been slower, but to outrun the Spurs is not really a consideration either.

    Tim Duncan has slowed down to be sure, but his efficiency and leadership still keeps his value higher than most power forwards in the NBA. He posts the highest PER of any Spur (16.2) while still playing less than 30 minutes a game.

    Of course, the small forward spot will be of utmost importance since Kawhi Leonard is capable of taking over games with minimal ball domination; the Spurs offense dictates that. The five- or six-pass possessions will keep the Magic on its toes.

    3) Get off to a good start: Should Orlando fall behind early, this one will be out of reach. The Spurs are too good of a veteran team to expect Gregg Popovich to let his veterans release the clutch. The Spurs have won four straight games, while Orlando is losers of its past three, and also allows teams to shoot 46.6 percent from the floor, the second worst in the Association.

    For all that Orlando’s defense is being praised by teams like Atlanta, it has yet to show up for 48 minutes, and the late game collapses are having their effect on team morale.

    Borrego will need to keep the rotations coming and keep the legs fresh, and it stands to reason Kyle O’Quinn will get some burn whether Dedmon is able to go or not.

    Final Word:

    Overall, this is a tough game for the Magic, but not inconceivable to win.

    The Spurs certainly are the team with the bigger motivation to win this one, now that it is possible to climb past either the 4 or 5 seeds in the West, Portland and the L.A. Clippers.

    Should the Spurs be able to climb into a homecourt advantage in the first round, it would considerably strengthen its chances.

    San Antonio is 29-8 at home this season while just a game above .500 on the road.

    It is atypical of a Pop-coached team, but the regular season has meant so little to the Spurs success so knocking the Magic off tonight is mostly about positioning and tune-up.

    If the playoffs began today, San Antonio would face a regular season juggernaut in the Houston Rockets, and likely would find itself favored over James Harden and the Rockets.

    Next: Magic preparing for the future the rest of the way, right?