Magic fight through turnovers by finding comfort

There is no denying that the Magic have one pretty big problem to solve in the early part of the season.

The numbers do not lie here — the Magic are committing 18.0 turnovers per game for 25th in the league (notably tied with the Spurs for small sample size theater) and are 25th in the league in turnover ratio at 18.2 percent. This will be an issue throughout the season it seems with the team boasting a young roster and lots of key players still learning the NBA game and learning their new roles on the team.

It will be something to keep an eye on throughout the year.

But not all turnovers are created equal. The hope is that most of the issues are borne out of players developing and growing. In that instance there is a difference between one turnover and another.

“I think that’s a really big thing for us,” Harris said. “I know for myself last night I had six turnovers last night. I think a lot of it to be honest is us feeling the game. A lot of them have been charges called. Some plays are we’re just trying to do too much to try and make the next play for the next guys. They hurt us, but I don’t look at them as being super bad. I just think as we sort it out and continue to figure each other out, we will be fine.”

True charges have been a thing for the Magic. Harris has had four offensive foul turnovers so far this season according to Basketball-Reference. Harris’ six turnovers Friday night against Minnesota could certainly be called of the “aggressive” variety. His first turnover came as he lost the ball driving to the basket. His second came as he dragged his pivot foot before a drive, getting called for a travel. His fifth turnover was a questionable charge in transition drawn by Robbie Hummel.

Certainly the other three — wayward passes that came on drives — need to be cleaned up. Dead-ball turnovers like a charge hurt a lot less than bad passes that initiate fast breaks.

For the first time in his NBA career, Nikola Vucevic is feeling the pressure of NBA double teams. Photo by Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Magic certainly are still learning each other and working to make progress in this area. The Magic have to work on improving the turnovers they can control that do not come from trying to make a play or a simple miscommunication.

“Sometimes it’s painful,” Vaughn said. “Sometimes those turnovers can cost you a game. Guys learn from that. We’ll continue to stress it in practice whether the segments we have and taking care of the basketball. It’s an ongoing process for sure.”

For no one, it is an ongoing process more than for Nikola Vucevic.

Vucevic has seen his usage rate jump to 23.8 usage rate entering Sunday’s game. His turnover rate has increased to 16.7 percent and he is committing a career-worst 3.3 turnovers per game. Vucevic is seeing more double teams and more attention from defenses than he ever has before. Vucevic is averaging 17.2 points per game and a career-high 16.0 field goal attempts per game (all stats through Saturday’s games).

Teams have noticed this too. They are doubling him harder and giving him the attention given to a star player.

Vucevic has had to learn the patience that comes with this attention and being smarter with the ball. His last three games, he had six, five and four turnovers.

“I do [want more offensive load],” Vucevic said. “But that’s something I wanted. I feel it is something that I can do, be one of the main guys on the offensive end with this team. I worked a lot on my game. I have gotten better and I have showed it in the first couple games that we have played.

“I just want to try and keep getting better and help the team as much as I can. If they needs me to score, I am going to try to score. Sometimes, like last night [against Minnesota] a lot of times, I was getting double teamed, I was just trying to make the right play, make the extra pass and make plays for others as well. Whatever the team needs me to do, I’m going to do.”

Vucevic said he had been double teamed in college but obviously that is not an NBA-level double team. Vucevic admitted he rushed and did not have patience reading the defense. He has been studying tape and practicing how to handle these double teams, learning where the defense is coming from and where the right pass is.

Nikola Vucevic said experience and study helps him learn and deal with the defensive pressure. Photo by Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Fighting through a double team takes experience to deal with. Vucevic is still putting it all together. With him having the ball in his hands more, Vucevic has had to learn that patience.

“This is kind of uncharted waters for him, to be double teamed multiple times throughout the course of a game,” Vaughn said. “We’ll continue to work on it. That’s just having a comfort level. It’s like putting a point guard in multiple pick and rolls. Eventually they get comfortable with it. He’ll get comfortable as we continue to practice and he faces double teams. He’ll find a comfort level.”

And the Magic are still working to find a comfort level. In the stretches where they have not turned the ball over a ton, the Magic have played extraordinarily well. In the fourth quarter and overtime in the Timberwolves game, the Magic committed just three turnovers. During Orlando’s comeback against Washington, the team committed just one turnover.

There is a lot this team can do when it protects the ball. That has been the message as Orlando works its way through the early season.

‘There are different kind of turnovers throughout the course of the game,” Vaughn said. “There was a play in Philly the other night Nik was running the center of the floor and Tobias tried to feed him and it ended up a turnover. Those happen. But the ones that we can take care of where we don’t need the risk factor to be involved in, I think we can have a little say in those as well.”