Nikola Vucevic’s high basketball IQ showing

Nov 30, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Orlando Magic head coach Jacque Vaughn and center Nikola Vucevic (9) against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 30, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Orlando Magic head coach Jacque Vaughn and center Nikola Vucevic (9) against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nikola Vucevic has established himself as the Orlando Magic’s premier talent thus far, despite a notable push from Victor Oladipo this season. His intelligence in handling heavy defensive pressure is indicating that the right choice was made.

With all the attention that has been placed on Nikola Vucevic this season — even to the point of being labeled an All-Star snub — he is now begun to attract a high number of double and triple teams every time he touches the ball.

The level of comfort with which he has handled the pressure has been graceful, and there is every reason to think he is on his way towards being a perennial All-Star.

Vucevic has found added defensive pressure coming from the weak side in most post opportunities and on two occasions in the contest against the Phoenix Suns he found himself fully triple teamed. With so much attention being focused on Nik, the Magic’s supporting cast needs to capitalize and fill cutting lanes to provide him with passion targets.

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  • At its best, the Magic function well as a unit able to play off Vucevic in high post situations, but too often his block opportunities turn into difficult looks at the basket. There were numerous circumstances in the second half Wednesday against the Suns where weak side cuts to the basket could have gone rewarded, but Vucevic found himself looking out of the double team with teammates mostly standing around.

    Unlike during the Shaquille O’Neal or Dwight Howard eras, Vucevic is not passing out to multiple All-Stars or proven shooters on the perimeter. Victor Oladipo has his nights of looking like an NBA superstar, but it is not a situation where Vucevic is dishing it to four guys who know how to exploit NBA defenses.

    By all accounts, it is a work in progress, and Vucevic is a part of that evolution. He is going to get a better feel for his teammates and how they can effectively together exploit situations where defenses favor Vucevic’s side too heavily.

    Early in the game he drew a double and spun to the right block for a short hook, but missed. The next possession he stepped out to knock down his first field goal from the top of the key. He continued to vary his assault coming back next with a short lefty hook, on a much smaller (but equally as long) Brendan Wright, having pushed starter Alex Len to the bench with foul trouble.

    Vucevic then proceeded to pin Wright’s shot to the glass but missed an awkward fade away on the other end. He was extremely active early on, scoring off an Oladipo shovel pass to give the Magic an early 21-13 lead over the Suns. Aaron Gordon grabbed an offensive board and dropped it to Vucevic for another finish and he’d helped the Magic off to a great start before being replaced by Channing Frye at the 3:02 mark of the quarter.

    Vucevic also created a couple transition buckets with his active hands defensively. At the 2:45 mark of the second, he deflected a pass to Elfrid Payton on such a typified disruption — but it did not result in a bucket because Eric Bledsoe got away with a flop.

    Mar 4, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Phoenix Suns center Alex Len (21) blocks the path of Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Amway Center. Phoenix Suns won 105-100. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
    Mar 4, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Phoenix Suns center Alex Len (21) blocks the path of Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Amway Center. Phoenix Suns won 105-100. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

    Vucevic came back the next possession to draw a third foul on Alex Len, as the Magic effectively rendered the Suns’ best rim protector to sitting most of the game.

    In his stead, Vucevic continued to work away and scored on a righty hook, his sixth field goal before the half as he scored 14 points through the first two quarters of play. He repeatedly made the Suns pay for doubles with his quick decisions in finding the shots he is comfortable with.

    But the doubles and triples would continue to come.

    The Suns forced a 16th Orlando turnover by aggressively doubling and ripping the ball from Vucevic and it helped Phoenix take a 64-59 edge. Another quick double team came and Vucevic fired it to Oladipo for an open triple, but Victor missed that one.

    The Suns continued, doubling him again but this time he found Willie Green cutting down the paint for a highlight dunk as the Magic cut the Suns lead to six with four minutes to go in the fourth quarter.

    Vucevic had displayed that if the Magic move without the ball he would reward them, and he found Oladipo when he was camped for the open three. He knows where to pass the ball when the attention comes.

    Vucevic has become so multi-functional in his attack offensively. He works very well in pick and rolls with Payton and Oladipo. He steps out and faces up well, from both the free throw line extended and the baselines. His touch is soft, and he gets good looks even with added defensive pressure because he is decisive with his movements and don’t hesitate too often, nor for too long.

    Vucevic’s motor has proven to be higher than most suspected, and perhaps it could even be said that his ambidextrous fluidity is what has allowed his quick ascent to being one of the league’s premier centers.

    He is closing in on a 20-plus point, 10-plus rebound season, and if he notches that mark it is pretty indisputable that he is in the elite class of NBA centers.

    As it stands, it is hard to argue that he ranks any lower than third all-time in terms of Magic talents at the center position, behind both Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard, of course. Both those dominant big men carried the Magic to NBA Finals appearances, and that is where the comparisons run thin.

    This is a team very far from contention, but Vucevic seems to be that chip that can be structured around.

    Vucevic knows how to play out of double teams, which means he is all but equipped with the necessary skill set to make a true inside/outside offense work. Oladipo has shown he can be the type of shooting 2-guard that can make it work, but the Magic still need more shooters. Elfrid Payton is going to have to learn to hit some jumpers because teams are not respecting his shot at all right now. He is being dared to take it from anywhere outside the paint.

    The weaknesses can be addressed via free agency or through the draft, but the immediate picture is that of a center whose talents are not even fully blossomed, nor a roster that fully complements what he is capable of bringing to a team.

    And even in this state of Vucevic’s development it is pretty clear he is now the type of talent that teams are not going to allow to be single covered most nights.

    Vucevic finished 8 of 16 from the floor for 18 points while grabbing only five rebounds in the game. But he was credited with two assists, a low mark given the amount of offense he should have created.

    He is not failing to pick up the assists because he is passing poorly. It is because the Magic’s perimeter players are not executing enough dive cuts, nor are they screening for one another to free up mid-range looks.

    There really is a lot of standing around at times. And when that happens, the stagnancy makes it tough for Vucevic to do much more than just make sure he gets rid of it before it becomes a turnover.

    Vucevic did that, not allowing the Suns to force a hasty miscue. He only picked up one turnover despite the Magic having 20 as a team. What is more, is that Vucevic was one of only three Magic players with a positive plus/minus, and it seemed the offense really only was fluid while he was on the court.

    Oladipo often forced his looks (as can be expected when a player attempts 25 field goals), but the game just kind of came to Vucevic — and all of his looks were within the flow of an attack focused on getting him the ball in position.

    It is easy to see it becoming a winning formula with the right roster additions. Vucevic creates the space, Oladipo punishes teams for leaving it.

    Granted there will need to be a lot more diversity in an offensive scheme than building it around an explosive two-guard and gifted center, but the pieces are starting to come together — and as Vic and Vuc get more comfortable with one another, the Magic will succeed at long last.

    Next: Nikola Vucevic becomes a primary offensive option