Orlando Magic Week 1 Takeaways: Scott Skiles knows what he is doing

By Philip Rossman-Reich

The Orlando Magic are very much what their record says they are. The Magic demanded they be held to a higher standard and so failing to get wins is a disappointment. Especially with the way the team lost these games.

Results matter at the end of the day. And the Magic have come up empty.

Orlando though has some positive things to point to and look at. The team’s defense was much better. They played in sync and together for the most part. The effort was there even when mistakes were made. The Magic are generally trying to dig in defensively the way Scott Skiles wants.

Offensively, the ball movement can at times be beautiful and brilliant. The team cuts hard and keeps the defense in constant motion, rarely slowing down and giving them time to breathe.

This is how a team is supposed to be run. And those moments — like the second and third quarters against Oklahoma City — shows Orlando is going to be all right once they get things down.

There has been no 48-minute effort though. There have been no wins. And those are what matter most, especially for a team trying to take a step up.

Will it happen this year? Most assuredly. This team has put in good work and made tons of progress. Are they where they need to be? Not yet. Not even close.

The Magic, despite the winless record, are a better team this year and have made progress. But they are still a long way away from where they need to be as a team.

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