Orlando Magic lock down the paint to secure wins
The Orlando Magic have always been solid scoring in the paint. Defensively, the team has changed and that is producing results like never before.
The Orlando Magic’s defensive transformation has become readily apparent just from the win total alone.
Orlando transformed from one of the worst defensive teams in the league to a top-10 defense in the last six games. It is one of the bigger storylines of the James Borrego era. Nowhere has this transformation been more apparent than in the Magic’s ability to defend the paint.
That was apparent again in the way the Magic defended the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.
“Just really getting in the paint defensively,” Nikola Vucevic said. “Just being there all of us starting from the paint and working ourselves out to the 3-point line where the shooters are. Our main focus is to take care of our paint, that’s where everything starts for us defensively. It’s not just me in there. We’re helping each other.”
Orlando outscored Philadelphia 50-26 in the paint, absolutely dominating Philadelphia with tip ins and post ups from Nikola Vucevic and then a defense which collapsed in the paint and forced the ball back out to the perimeter. The 76ers needed to uncharacteristically hit 13 of 34 3-pointers just to keep the game close and it was not until JaKarr Sampson got a mind to pass up the 3-pointers and attack the paint with reckless abandon in the fourth quarter that the game finally got tight.
Since Borrego took over, the Magic hold a strong advantage on points in the paint. They average 48.3 points in the paint the last six games, just above their blistering season average of 45.1 per game (fourth in the league).
Where the difference has been has been on defense. Orlando has given up 41.6 per game in the paint for the season. Since Borrego took over, it is at 31.0 points in the paint allowed per game. That is the best mark in the league.
These are obviously the same players and Nikola Vucevic is not considered an elite defensive player by any stretch. Something has to have clicked.
“Effort. Everybody wants to help each other,” Elfrid Payton said of the team’s dramatic improvement. “We’re in this together. No one wants to let their teammate down, so we’re covering for each other. [Dewayne] Dedmon, Vuc, Channing [Frye] are protecting rim. We’re rebounding better. Just helping each other.”
To show that things are still a work in progress, Philadelphia worked inside-out to make 13 3-pointers Sunday. The 76ers then got in the paint as the Magic eased somewhat off the gas pedal and outscored the Magic 14-8 in the paint after scoring just 12 points in the paint to through three quarters.
The Magic seemed pretty content to have the 76ers hoist away from beyond the arc, so long as they could get out and contest. Philadelphia nearly made Orlando pay, but Orlando had enough breathing room to survive.
To a man, the Magic said they still have to stick to what they work on and the principles of their offense and defense when things get tough. This is not always an easy thing for a young team. And learning how to put a game away when you are up 10 points in the middle of the fourth quarter is part of this learning process.
The Magic finished at the end.
But the focus on locking the paint down has been part of the change Borrego has implemented these past few weeks. Borrego said the team is more committed to keeping players out of the paint. No one can argue with the results so far. It is the key to becoming a dominant defense.
“At the end of the day, we’re trying to win ball games,” Victor Oladipo said. “We don’t care what else happens. We’re just trying to win no matter what.”
Borrego would say the team is still a work in progress, although he said he is proud about how the team has bought in. There is still a lot to learn for the Magic. moving forward.
There is definitely more onus, however, on taking individual responsibility on man-to-man defense. There is more focus on locking down their man. It sounds like something simple, but the team has had to buy into this mentality. Winning certainly helps change that.