Orlando Magic’s centers stretched thin without Nikola Vucevic
The Orlando Magic are stretched a bit thin at center without Nikola Vucevic. Coach Frank Vogel has been searching for answers behind Bismack Biyombo.
Every team in the NBA faces injuries at some point. Very few players actually make it through the entire 82-game season without missing a game here or there (even if some of it is designed rest).
Most teams will claim a “next man up” mentality and ask for players to shift positions and step into new roles. The better teams can withstand it better than most. Other teams just hope the one key player does not get hurt that they cannot replace.
That has been the case with Nikola Vucevic as he nurses a sore hamstring.
Vucevic will miss his third consecutive game Wednesday against the Chicago Bulls. And the Orlando Magic have been left scrambling to fill the minutes behind Bismack Biyombo in the process.
Biyombo is averaging 38.0 minutes per game, including playing nearly 42 minutes in the Magic’s 113-105 loss to the New York Knicks on Monday. Behind him, the Magic have tried playing Stephen Zimmerman, Aaron Gordon, Jeff Green and Damjan Rudez at center, hoping to platoon minutes together and hold the ship steady.
The Magic are still figuring out how to make it all work.
"“We’ve said all along we feel we have two starting centers on our roster,” coach Frank Vogel said after shootaround Wednesday. “We miss Vuc, but Biz is stepping in and playing terrific basketball. He is capable of filling out that role if need be. Playing 42 minutes the other night and there were times I was not even going to take him out in those situations. He’s going to be big tonight. He will have to play a lot of minutes tonight.”"
Biyombo has stepped up his play. In Vucevic’s absence, Biyombo is averaging 12.0 points and 14.5 rebounds per game. Biyombo has made a big impact.
But he cannot play all 48 minutes. And it is clear the Magic are struggling to fill those minutes, at least through two games.
In this incredibly small sample size, the Magic post an 110.4 offensive rating and an 115.6 defensive rating with Biyombo on the floor. With him off the floor, the Magic give up 138.7 points per 100 possessions while seeing only a slight improvement offensively (114.4 points per 100 possessions).
The lineups without Biyombo on the floor have been rough, despite having some positive moments.
Against the Washington Wizards, the team found some success playing Stephen Zimmerman at center and limited initial success with Aaron Gordon and Jeff Green platooning at center in the second half (they started a 10-0 run late in the third quarter). That second grouping ended up with a negative plus-minus for the game.
Against the Knicks, Orlando opted to go small again and went -10 in the few minutes Biyombo did not play. This was mostly with Damjan Rudez playing next to Green. The small lineup did not work Monday.
The Magic are indeed still figuring things out.
And they will have to do that more. Vogel said he is likely to give the rookie Zimmerman an opportunity tonight because the Bulls tend to play bigger lineups. What direction Vogel goes filling in these minutes without Vucevic seems to depend on the matchup.
So the rookie will get his chance now.
"“I would say the main thing is play hard,” Zimmerman told Orlando Magic Daily after shootaround Wednesday. “I think that’s a big thing the coaches are looking for. That’s my first priority.”"
The 20-year-old rookie has had a bit of a journey this season. Orlando signed the second-round pick to develop him. He was going to spend a lot of time in Erie with the Erie BayHawks. He has appeared in just 11 games for the Magic, playing a total of 43 minutes.
In 21 games in the D-League, Zimmerman averaged 13.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. He showed plenty of the versatility that made him an intriguing prospect.
Orlando Magic
But much of Zimmerman’s work to get onto the court has occurred at the Amway Center in the weight room and in practice. Zimmerman said the Magic’s veteran big men — Vucevic, Biyombo and Serge Ibaka — did not pull any punches on him in practice and have taken him aside to teach him and talk to him about his game.
Vogel said before Monday’s game against the Knicks this became an opportunity to get Zimmerman some minutes. But he said the team is not sure he is ready for meaningful minutes. This is a good time to throw him out there and see what he can do. But the leash seems pretty tight.
"“He knows all of his assignments,” Vogel told Orlando Magic Daily before Monday’s loss to the Knicks. “Defensively he knows what his responsibilities are in picka nd roll coverages and rim protection coverages. He’s just got to execute what his assignments are more than anything.”"
Zimmerman’s directives are simple when he does play. But to win the Magic will need Zimmerman to contribute something or at least hold the boat steady.
But Zimmerman is not the only option.
The Magic tried using one of their smallish power forwards at center to varying and limited success. It was a mini-Magic death lineup. It just did not work — or, rather, it worked more effectively with Gordon in the game rather than without as proved Monday. And the Magic then became susceptible to bigger players crashing the glass.
It did help create some spacing, though. Orlando is still figuring out what works while they wait for Vucevic to return.
The good news is it does not seem Vucevic will be out much longer. Vucevic said his hamstring flared up and caused him to sit out. He said it is feeling better and he hopes he can return to the lineup soon.
"“We’ve all got to be ready,” Rudez told Orlando Magic Daily after shootaround Wednesday. “That’s part of our job. It’s a next-man-up mentality. Whenever there is a situation like this all of us guys that are trying to get into the rotation and get some minutes on the court, we’ve got to stay ready and give it all we’ve got when we get out there.”"
Next: Why the Serge Ibaka-Bismack Biyombo front court never gelled
Until then, the Magic are pulling together to find a way to make things work and help behind Biyombo to pick up a win.