Execution, not effort lacking in Magic loss to Wizards

Victor Oladipo is not one that is ever short on energy. The guy always seems bursting with it and is ready to go play at any moment.

Some of that pent-up energy was bursting to get out as Oladipo made his first appearance this season Friday against Milwaukee. It was still bursting out when Oladipo got his first start Saturday night against Washington.

Great, a team that plays hard and always has energy and effort. Oftentimes, that only gets you halfway there. Energy and effort are only part of the equation. Execution is the other part.

It is this second part that remains a bit inconsistent for the Magic. Execution is what will separate developing teams like the Magic from the developed (or almost there) teams like the Wizards. Defense is not quite the backstop it needs to be yet. But Orlando is more than game to keep things interesting, even if they do not quite threaten.

Washington took control of the game early on, holding Orlando to 28 percent shooting in the first quarter. The Wizards led the entire game with the Magic making various runs to get back but never quite getting there. The defense was a small backstop, but not enough of one. That will have to change as the team progresses.

For Saturday night, it was a Wizards 98-93 win at Verizon Center thanks to big contributions off the bench from Kris Humphries (16 points) and Otto Porter (13 points) and the expected big plays from starters like John Wall and Nene.

The Magic offense took its time getting into the game with the Wizards breaking off missed shots and the Magic guards struggling to get themselves going. For the game, Orlando’s starting guards — Victor Oladipo and Evan Fournier — shot 12 for 31. Both Oladipo and Fournier eventually got things going, but their struggles early on put the Magic in the hole.

Tobias Harris scored 19 points to lead the way and was pretty consistent throughout. Channing Frye provided a good boost early on too. Eventually Oladipo and Fournier got going. Oladipo filled the box score with 18 points to go with seven rebounds and seven assists. Fournier had 15 points.

For the game, Orlando shot 47.4 percent from the floor. So the offense really came on and the defense gave the Magic a chance. It was a two-point game midway through the fourth quarter. From there, things broke down and the problems that occurred throughout the game continued.

The Magic were late on rotations and often sent two players to the help, instead of helping the helper. This, of course, is the hallmark of good defensive teams. Certainly, Orlando is still gaining trust with each other and still learning the finer points of NBA defense. Re-integrating Victor Oladipo on both ends of the floor is still ongoing.

The Wizards took advantage. When they were patient and worked the ball around the perimeter, they were able to find holes and find open shots. On a few occasions in the fourth quarter, the Magic were happy to let Kris Humphries or Kevin Seraphin or whoever else was the roll man on pick and rolls to remain free and hit the 18-foot jumper. Those shots went down tonight.

What was probably more egregious were the fast break opportunities. The Magic saw the Wizards get past them on fast breaks on several occasions throughout the game. Most frustratingly, it occurred on one of the first plays after halftime.

Washington recorded 14 fast-break points and 46 points in the paint. John Wall had 15 points and 10 assists.

It was not a perfect effort for the Wizards either. They could have easily run away this game. The Magic deserve some credit for buckling down on defense. But it did not come together in the fourth quarter. The Magic got virtually no scoring from their bench and execution at the end of games continues to be something in need of improvement.

Finishing is going to be a consistent theme throughout the season for this young squad.

But do not confuse that for an excuse. Jacque Vaughn was not willing to make the travel schedule off the back-to-back a reason for the loss. It should not be. Neither should be re-integrating Oladipo into the lineup, although it is clear he is still getting his legs under him and knocking off some rust.

The Magic were just unable to execute through all of it. They had the pieces there and the effort, just not the flawlessness necessary.

This is a team that is willing to fight, that much is clear. The question remains: Can they execute and finish?