What is the difference between the Orlando Magic and the Boston Celtics?
The defense rests
Of course, team basketball goes beyond the stats and beyond whether individual players are better. It is about how they fit together and work together.
There is no place you can see this better than on the defensive side of the ball. The Magic’s defense was one of the worst in the league — 105.2 points per 100 possessions, good for 25th in the league. The Celtics were average — 102.1 points per 100 possessions, 14th in the league.
Boston has players that worked pretty seamlessly together defensively at all times. Zeller is a decent enough rim protector and is good at getting in position to help his teammates. Brandon Bass is a solid defender. Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley are considered a nightmare defensive backcourt.
This is a team that built an identity on the defensive end and has the offense to take advantage of the defense they play.
The Magic decided did not. They had one of the worst offense and defenses in the league.
What this is all to say is that individual talent is not enough to make the Playoffs. It certainly helps in getting to that next level. But the pieces have to fit together and have to be moving toward a singular goal.
For much of the 2015 season, the Magic were not that team. They were far from it.
They wanted to be about defense but never got there. Both their perimeter defense and interior defense struggled. With an offense that was expected to and did, in fact, struggle, that made things all the more worse.
Next: Celtics were inescapably better in 2015