Orlando Magic are not quite on the pace revolution

The Orlando Magic, like the rest of the league, has seen a dramatic increase in pace. The Magic though are still learning how to use this to their advantage

The Orlando Magic have a young team.

The team is not trying to use youth as an excuse. Scott Skiles’ common refrain is instead to use youth as a strength.

The stereotype there is for the team to pick up its pace. Young teams should play fast and out in transition because they are young and can run for longer or something.

The Magic are not likely trying to become a team that runs at all costs. But there is some intention to play with more pace in all of its forms. Skiles has said so and it has been a constant refrain from him.

Orlando are playing with a pace of 99.2 possessions per 48 minutes, good for 16th in the league. The Magic played with a pace of 95.9 possessions per 48 minutes, good for 18th in the league.

So the Magic are playing “faster” than last year, but they are not gaining much ground on the rest of the league.

The plain fact is the league is playing at a quicker pace. It is undeniable. The league’s median pace entering Monday’s games is 99.3 possessions per 48 minutes. That would have been the second fastest pace in the league last year.

As I noted on Fansided last week, pace is everywhere in the league this year. It is the new buzz word coming off the Golden State Warriors’ title last year — and their continued dominance of the league this year. Coaches everywhere are talking about playing with a faster pace in all phases of the game.

Orlando Magic coach Scott Skiles is not known for picking up the pace with his teams. His teams have been characterized by how they limit possessions and pound the ball. The criticism of him has been his offense often takes too many mid-range jumpers.

The Magic in that sense are very similar to the Jazz — by pace, the second slowest team in the league. Quin Snyder has a team that is extremely strong defensively and so slowing the pace makes sense for them. But he still wants his team to get into the offense quicker and play at a certain speed in the half court to get a better shot, even if it is later in the shot clock.

Skiles agrees with that notion. He wants his team to make the defense work with faster play in the half court and quicker decisions that do not allow the defense to reset and rest.

"“We look at the pace numbers that the league calls pace number and then we look at the pace within our offense,” Scott Skiles said. “Utah is an example, takes the shot clock down, they go deep into the clock, but they play with tremendous pace. They are constantly moving, cutting, everything they do is sharp. There are two ways to look at that. Our goal is to do both. Our goal is we want to have a high pace up and down the floor but then also within our offense, be moving with pace.”"

Things have evolved plenty for Skiles. He looks at this team and sees a team that should get out in transition more. Although, he said Saturday, the team’s 2-on-1 fast breaks are still something of an adventure.

Pace though does not have to do only with the number of possessions and getting up and down the floor. Skiles and several players have noted, they hope to increase the pace by cutting harder, initiating the offense sooner and generally playing faster even in the half court.

As I noted in my latest playbook post, the Magic are relying heavily on movement to create balance on the floor and make the defense move to create holes to attack and kick out:

The Magic have had a lot of trouble doing this so far consistently. When the offense really works, it is clear how smooth and efficient the Magic’s offense runs. For a good chunk of games, players stand still and wait for an individual player to break their man down. This is not the Magic’s strong suit.

Orlando is still figuring out the best way to score efficiently whether in transition or the half court. The team is struggling to finish at the rim still and struggling to finish in transition.

But this is not a team that should slow to a crawl either. The team just has to find a way to get more consistent and efficient on offense within this new offensive system. They have to rely on movement to create pace.

The league is playing much different this year than even last year. Things may slow down some as teams settle in defensively, but the age of pace is back for the league as a whole.

The Magic are starting to pick things up, but they still have a ways to go to reach efficiency within this new reality. They do have to slow down some to make sure they get this offense down though. Figuring out when to unleash it fully will be dependent on how the team takes to the strategy.

Until then, the Magic might be trying to keep up.