Orlando Magic Daily
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Scott Skiles has Orlando Magic surprising national outlets at midpoint

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Dec 8, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Orlando Magic head coach Scott Skiles during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. The Magic won 85-74. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 8, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Orlando Magic head coach Scott Skiles during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. The Magic won 85-74. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Orlando Magic made strides many in the national media did not expect this season. The Scott Skiles effect took full force in the first half.

The Orlando Magic reached the midpoint of their season Wednesday night after they play the Philadelphia 76ers.

They are currently in a rough spot having lost eight of their past nine games and playing some very bad basketball statistically. There is a serious concern that the season is about to get away from them unless some things are corrected quickly (do not look at that February and March schedule).

It is a concern, but it is not a cause for panic. And even general manager Rob Hennigan is taking stock on what has been a successful first half to the season.

“In general, if you take a step back — at least I have — and try to look at the big picture, we’re sitting here basically halfway through the season, we’re sitting right at .500,” Rob Hennigan said on Magic Drive Time on 96.9 The Game in Orlando (full interview above). “In general, if you look big picture, we’ve shown a lot of progress in total. I would argue we have shown considerable progress in the sent that we’re a game out of the eighth seed in a much-improved Eastern Conference.”

The recent struggles, Hennigan said, shows they have made progress but are still a work in progress and learning how to win games.

For a team that won 25 games last year to sit at midseason with 20 wins at 20-21 with very few roster changes is extremely encouraging. The Magic came into the season saying they would be competitive and in the Playoff discussion and they certainly accomplished that through the first half of the season.

Do not tell Scott Skiles to take any solace in midseason goals or progress. He is worried about righting the ship and getting through the final 41 games. The job is only half done.

And even Hennigan said the next six games represent a key stretch for the team to get back on track and find the momentum, rhythm and consistency the team had earlier in the season.

Still, there is no doubt the success the team has had through the first half of the season. The Magic have played better than just about everyone expected.

We passed out our grades and saw mostly B’s from the key players. Individual players are playing well but no one has really broken out.

Indeed, when asking the national outlets for grades, it is clear the driving force for the transformation has been Scott Skiles. He has delivered the same transformation to young teams that he had in three previous stops as a head coach.

In giving the Magic an A for their first half, ESPN.com’s Tom Haberstroh (the full ESPN panel gave the team a B+) he writes:

"The fact that the Magic have dramatically improved this season without adding a big-time free agent or trading away their young talent for veteran help speaks to Skiles’ stellar job so far. Once Mario Hezonja starts taking flight, this team could make a playoff run and become a bit scary for a first-round opponent. And they have pieces to swing a deal if they want to take advantage of the one-horse Eastern Conference field."

He also notes Evan Fournier is probably in the Most Improved Player of the Year running and Scott Skiles might be the Coach of the Year. . . in the Eastern Conference at least.

Ben Golliver of Sports Illustrated agreed the Skiles factor has helped transform the Magic this season into the team they are now — a Playoff contender. He gave the Magic a B+ for their first half.

"Skiles’s latest project has produced a .500 record as the midpoint approaches, by far the most respectable showing of the slow-dripping post-Dwight Howard era. The major developments—splitting the minutes of non-shooting guards Elfrid Payton and Victor Oladipo by moving the latter to the bench, setting up off guard Evan Fournier for a nice little breakout, and inserting Channing Frye as a nominal frontcourt starter to further improve the spacing—all look like intelligent decisions. Orlando’s new starting lineup has posted a robust +7 net rating, and Oladipo deserves real credit for taking his demotion in stride (although he’s back starting for the time being due to a Payton injury)."

Orlando is meeting and exceeding expectations at this point. That is the message from the first half of the season.

But no one is confusing this Magic team for a serious Playoff contender quite yet. No one may be confusing it for a Playoff team quite yet either with the recent play.

Next: Orlando Magic Daily's First Half Grades

The Magic had a strong first half of their season, there is no doubt about that. And everyone is recognizing it. What happens in the next 41 games will make their season though.