Next for Orlando Magic, mastering the 3-point line

The Orlando Magic are transitioning to a more modern style of basketball. The next step will be learning to make and defend the 3-point shot.

Aaron Gordon was unhappy after the Orlando Magic’s 115-114 loss to the Washington Wizards. He takes a lot of pride in his defense and time after time he was involved in the biggest breakdowns for the team as they lost a 17-point lead from late in the third quarter and then a lead with two minutes to play.

Orlando allowed a win to slip through its hands. And no player may be more a part of the team’s hopes for building a winning culture than the 21-year-old former fourth overall pick. Losing games like this have to be a thing of the past.

Undoubtedly, Aaron Gordon will replay the events that closed the game Sunday over and over again. Bojan Bogdanovic was the recipient of stellar passing and supreme shot-making in hitting on 8 of his 10 3-pointers.

Gordon is not alone at fault for Bogdanovic breaking out. The game-winning shot from Bogdanovic was a set up from John Wall. He drove past Elfrid Payton, sucked Evan Fournier in and forced Gordon into a difficult decision. He opted to race over and close out on Otto Porter, Evan Fournier’s man, leaving Bogdanovic open in the corner. No one was there to cover for him.

The Magic have gone small since the All-Star Break. Coach Frank Vogel admitted the Magic have finally done what about three-quarters of the league has done already. And Gordon has been a prime beneficiary of this — 14.6 points per game, 46.8 percent shooting and 7.6 rebounds per game — but the transition is not perfect. Not yet.

The Magic are not yet a modern NBA team, though. They show hints of it. But the chips were on the table at the end of Sunday’s game. And the Wizards executed and had the pieces to make the Magic pay.

The modern NBA team is not two lumbering big men as the Magic were. It is not simply a desire to push the pace or spread the floor or shoot threes, either.

Modern NBA teams have shooters at nearly every position. And a point guard who can drive and create for those shooters.

Not every team is a cookie cutter, they have to play to their strengths. But this Magic season has made it clear the importance of a strict rim protector is less than solid perimeter defenders and a strong pick and roll defensive scheme. Not to mention the 3-point shooting it takes to run an effective offense.

And this season throughout the NBA has made it clear just how important being a great 3-point shooting team can be.

The Magic are coming to this way of thinking. But their shooting remains inconsistent.

In the first half Sunday, Orlando moved the ball to make 10 3-pointers. The Magic got out in transition — 10 fast-break points on three field goal attempts, but the Magic worked well in secondary transition for much of the half to create mismatches and penetration. The team spread the floor and got good looks.

Orlando Magic

Mario Hezonja drained three 3-pointers in that first half and Terrence Ross and D.J. Augustin each had two. It was that way for much of the second half. Just without the 3-pointers.

Orlando could easily say it built its lead on the 3-point shot. Just as easily as the team could say it lost it because of the 3-pointer.

Washington came back in the second half to make 10 of 15, including six of seven from Bogdanovic. Much of the Wizards’ 3-point shots in the half were products of shooters working around screens and John Wall’s drive and kicks. Wall is perhaps the best in the league at that with his speed in transition particularly.

Orlando is not a great 3-point shooting team or a great 3-point shot-defending team.

This season, the Magic are 28th in the league shooting 32.9 percent from beyond the arc. Since the All-Star Break, the Magic are making just 31.0 percent of their 3-pointers. The Magic’s lack of shooting remains a problem.

For the season, the Magic are 22nd in the league, giving up 36.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Since the All-Star Break, the team has given up 37.3 percent.

Orlando has seen (relative) success despite these relatively poor numbers at the 3-point line.

It reveals a truth about the NBA today. The league is all about space now. It is not so much about 3-point shooting, but the threat of it.

Adding Terrence Ross to the lineup and moving Aaron Gordon to power forward has created space because defenses have to respect multiple drivers. Closing out on Ross causes chaos because he is as likely to blow past a defender and get to the basket.

That threat gives Elfrid Payton more space to drive too. It trickles down.

But the threat of a 3-pointer — or the streaky shooting — is not enough to create a strong offense. Orlando still struggles overall offensively, although Sunday was a strong offensive performance.

The threat of shooting and the ability of a point guard to create dribble penetration still gives Orlando’s defense headaches.

Since the All-Star Break alone, the team has seen Damian Lillard, Derrick Rose and, now, John Wall tear the team apart and create for others. All single-handedly defeated the Magic. Well, not single-handedly, but they set others up for their shots or got to the basket themselves.

The onus is not all on the point guard. The Magic’s shooting was going to be a problem all season with the roster’s construction. The team’s need for more shooting is going to remain in the offseason. It is perhaps the biggest need the team still face.

As is its defense. Particularly on the 3-point line. Orlando is still working to create a scheme to better defend the 3-point line.

Few teams have mastered this. Especially against the very best shooting teams.

Space rules the NBA. And the 3-point shot creates space.

Washington used that space to tear apart Orlando. The Wizards have that advantage in John Wall putting pressure on the defense. And he set up everyone with his driving ability.

Next: Grades: Washington Wizards 115, Orlando Magic 114

It proved to be ruinous for the Magic in the end. As it has been all season.