Orlando Magic Playbook: How the Orlando Magic finish games
The Orlando Magic ran some beautiful, and simple, sets to force overtime and double overtime in their win. It revealed some clues on how they finish games.
When the Orlando Magic hired Frank Vogel, they figured they were getting a team with a strong defensive background, but questionable offensive acumen.
In his time with the Indiana Pacers, the team was a top-10 defense every year. But his offenses often floundered. There was that one year they were in the top-five (the first year they reached the conference finals) but largely the team was below average offensively. And with this Magic team, it figured the team’s offense would have some struggles.
Without a go-to player or a ton of shooting, the Magic’s success would come down to their ability to execute a game plan. To run through plays effectively to create open shots.
And nowhere is a coach’s value and ability to get shots put more under the microscope than late in games.
No, clutch situations are not the be-all, end-all for a coach. It is a 48-minute game and one two-minute stretch or possession is not enough to pillory any player.
But these plays do matter. This is a results-based business. When it is a two-point game late and the team needs a basket coming out of a timeout, the pressure ramps up. And success or failure can come down to a single play or shot.
The Magic have played plenty of close games this year. According to NBA.com, the Magic have played in 18 games within five points in the final five minutes, sixth most in the league. As statistics would probably project, the Magic are 9-9 in such games. Close games, essentially, are 50-50 shots and the Magic are average.
In fact, Orlando is league average late in games. The team posts a 105.8 offensive rating late in games. The Magic’s offense rises to the occasion (it is the defense that struggles with a 108.6 defensive rating). This is in 68 minutes, so it is a relatively small sample size. And success is obviously matchup dependent.
Considering Vogel’s less-than-sterling reputation as an offensive coach and the Magic’s general struggles offensively, it is interesting to see how this team operates in close game situations.
Like many teams, they have had their ups and downs.
But now that Orlando has some confidence offensively, the team is executing some brilliant sets late in games. That was especially true in Tuesday’s 136-130 win over the Miami Heat. There, Vogel made some key play calls and the Magic executed them well, showing just what Orlando can do offensively.