Is it time Orlando Magic should change frontcourt starters?
The Magic’s starting frontcourt has struggled mightily and it may be time for a change.
The Orlando Magic’s nine games under coach James Borrego have illustrated a striking difference between the play of Orlando’s guards and its frontcourt. The story for its starting frontcourt is not a good one, and adjustments to the lineup seem imperative after having been thoroughly outplayed by opponents in the two losses to the Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets this week.
On one level, it seems strange to think of Orlando’s frontcourt being so abysmal. Nikola Vucevic is by most reckonings an All-Star whose time is just yet to come. He is arguably the most crafty big man in Orlando Magic history, able to finish well with both hands, a possessor of feathery soft touch and an instinctive rebounder who is capable of cleaning the glass with the best (No. 5 in NBA in rebounding through March 2). But beyond Vucevic, the question marks begin, most especially in the starting lineup it turns out.
Orlando’s starting frontcourt has been out-scored 95 to 77 in the past two contests while also having been out-rebounded 56 to 42.
The Magic allowed the Atlanta frontcourt to hit 55.2 percent from the floor, including seven of 13 from three-point range.
Charlotte milked 43 points out of Al Jefferson, Cody Zeller and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, the latter two of whom are not particularly strong offensive players (at least yet). Zeller repeatedly found his way to the offensive boards — not boxed out by Channing Frye — as he grabbed three first half offensive rebounds to aid him in scoring eight relatively easy points on the Magic.
What has gone wrong?
Paul Millsap went absolutely bonkers in the Atlanta contest, hitting four threes in the first quarter as the Hawks raced out to a 12-point lead after one period. DeMarre Caroll repeatedly found the corner pocket open as he bagged three triples from the best spot on the arc.
Al Horford was quiet but extremely efficient, finding that Nikola Vucevic had enough responsibilities on the defensive end that he could not contest Horford’s automatic midrange jumper (Jeff Teague‘s dribble penetration keeping Vucevic in the paint did not help either). While the Magic were able to score 46 points between Channing Frye, Vucevic and Tobias Harris, the Hawks obliterated the trio on the glass and most of it was Magic players just simply not boxing out.
That is just poor fundamentals and poor court awareness — it has nothing to do with talent.
Next: What can be said for the reserves?