Orlando Magic feeling the pressure, because they don’t apply it

The Orlando Magic defense continues to take steps backward in large part because they are not applying pressure on defense, giving opponents all the chances.

Damian Lillard was on his way to a 10-assist night — eight in the first half. The Orlando Magic were going to get the ball out of his hands and Lillard was happy to oblige.

He dribbled at the top of the key with Victor Oladipo watching him as C.J. McCollum ran off screens on the wing, C.J. Watson chasing behind.

McCollum came around a screen and came free. Lillard looped a pass over the defense, perfectly into McCollum’s hands and he scored a layup as the defense was late to react.

With Lillard sometimes probing the lane and wading into the waters, he darted passes through the defense and found teammates. It loosened the Magic up defensively and the rout was on, the ball whipping quickly around the perimeter, inside and out, for 3-pointers.

The Magic defense stood no chance, looking sluggish the night after putting together a strong defensive performance against the Sacramento Kings. The Portland Trail Blazers won easily 121-84 over the Magic at Moda Center on Saturday. The score as lopsided as the Magic’s effort.

And like all things with Orlando this year, it started with the defense. It always starts with the defense.

The Magic have been a defensive disaster for several months with seemingly inconsistent causes each evening. Saturday saw the Magic give up 56.0 percent shooting, 17-for-35 shooting from beyond the arc (48.6 percent) and a 127.6 offensive rating to the Trail Blazers.

Those are more likely among the worst numbers for the Magic all season. The kind of numbers that are inexcusable and rightly had Scott Skiles questioning his team’s effort and desire to stay in this Playoff race.

There are fundamental problems with the defense. Saturday, ball pressure had a lot to do with it.

Damian Lillard was able to stand at the top of the key and drive with little impunity. As he or someone got past the Magic’s first line of defense the help defense was a bit slow and the Blazers just pulled that thread apart.

The Magic are no longer dictating very much on the defensive end. It starts with how they defend the ball handler. By sitting back they allowed the Traill Blazers to set their offense and run it with seeming impunity.

Scott Skiles often talks defensively about playing with intensity. He talks about the need to make multiple effort plays. That was missing throughout the game Saturday. The Magic would make one close out, but not the next, one rotation but not the next. Defense takes that.

But at its very core, defense is about keeping your man in front of you. About making it as hard as you for the ball handler to do anything, even move the ball in position to run a play.

It is difficult to harass a NBA player for too long. Press up too much on certain players and they blow right by you or you struggle to get around picks. It still takes communication.

Like against so many teams though, Orlando was not dictating this play on the ball. The Magic were hung back and let the Trail Blazers watch the play develop.

Maybe that is not C.J. Watson’s style of defense. He struggled chasing McCollum around most of the night. But a little bit of ball pressure goes a long way in dictating a defense.

The Magic had difficulties doing that against Stephen Curry earlier in the road trip. Skiles said part of the Magic’s defensive problems were failing to press up on Curry and make him put the ball on the floor and chase him off the 3-point line.

Again, easier said than done.

But that little bit of pressure also awakens intensity and focus. A team that plays with that kind of fire has to play with a bit more oomph just to maintain the pressure it takes to play there.

Orlando can struggle mightily on defense and it is usually seen on how they guard players on and off the ball. When they are hounding, the defense can be as good as any other. Everyone can be connected and covering for each other.

When it is laid back like it was Saturday, offense flows easily and communication dwindles for the Magic. Everything breaks down.