The Orlando Magic put in one of their best defensive performances in several months Wednesday against the Chicago Bulls. Now they have to do it again.
Time/TV:
7 p.m./FSFlorida
Line:
Magic by 13.5
Tickets:Season Series:
Suns 107, Magic 104in Phoenix on Dec. 9; Tonight in Orlando
| Pace | Off. Rtg. | Def. Rtg. | eFG% | O.Reb.% | TO% | FTR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | 100.4 | 99.3 | 107.8 | 48.9 | 24.2 | 16.7 | 26.9 |
| Orlando | 97.5 | 101.7 | 103.5 | 49.5 | 23.7 | 14.6 | 22.4 |
The Orlando Magic set several new marks defensively in Wednesday’s win over the Chicago Bulls.
It was the first time the team held an opponent to less than 100 points since the Feb. 10 loss to the San Antonio Spurs just before the All-Star Break. The 38.4 percent field goal percentage the Magic allowed was the sixth lowest of the season, behind only that awfully ugly win at Denver. Orlando’s 84.5 defensive rating was the first time the defense held an opponent to less than a point per possession since the overtime win against the Dallas Mavericks just after the All-Star Break, according to Basketball-Reference.
It was the first time in quite some time the Magic not only talked about playing improved defense, but actually did it.
The Bulls are a team that is reeling, and they did plenty of things to get in their own way. Regardless of the quality of the opponent, the Magic had to make the stops and make the plays to win the game. A skill Orlando has not always had.
The last time the Magic had back-to-back games holding an opponent to less than a point per possession, according to Basketball-Reference, was back in November in wins against the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks. Coming off of five straight games in which the Magic had a defensive rating of 112 or worse, this team just need to put together another good defensive performance.
“We were much more aware, like I said after the game,” coach Scott Skiles said. “That’s such a huge part. You have your defensive schemes and then a specific gameplan against the opponent you’re playing, but none of it is any good at all if nobody is aware, if guys are just kind of staring at their man and staring at the ball.”
The Phoenix Suns seem a perfect team to build on that awareness and what the team did well in the win over Chicago.
They have been mired with injuries as both star players Brandon Knight and Eric Bledsoe are out and the team is relying heavily on young players like Devin Booker to emerge. This is a Suns team sinking fast.
But that has been no guarantee for the Magic either. They struggled mightily with the Philadelphia 76ers twice in the last week. The Sixers are hardly paragons of NBA consistency.
Even against a team struggling like Phoenix or any other team, the team has to be focused defensively and stay on their man and on their defensive principles to have success.
“Energy,” Mario Hezonja said of the difference in Wednesday’s game. “I said after the game, we stepped onto the court with tons of energy. That’s got to be our sign. We are too young not to be running. That was a key.”
There are no cake walks in the NBA and not with the schedule the Magic have upcoming — this is the final game at home before a four-game West Coast trip and there will be another five-game East swing later on this month.
Every game is a must win and the focus for the Magic has to be turned up every game. Games like Friday night’s tilt with the Suns are not ones the team can give away or even look past.
The team has to be sharp an in tune with its gameplan each night. And even when mistakes are made, the Magic have to brush them off and attack them again. They have to make extra effort plays to recover and help each other out and work together.
That is really what the Magic succeeded with as much as anything against the Bulls. They were not perfect in that game at all, but recovered well and worked together to get stops and stop any runs from threatening the lead they built.
Related Story: It will take defense for Orlando Magic to sniff Playoffs
Now they just have to do it again.
“We had really good awareness,” Skiles said. “We were very active, and usually those two go hand in hand. Overall, we did a nice job. It was good to see. But now we have to see if we can back it up and have another one and another one.”