Nikola Vucevic blossoms off the bench

Nikola Vucevic has returned from injury with some type of vengeance. Only able to work on his jumper, he is hitting everything as he comes off the bench.

The jokes were flowing as the Orlando Magic celebrated a 119-107 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.

There is rarely strife when a team is winning like the Magic have in four of the past five games. Everyone is content in their roles because victories are flowing. And so that may prompt a late entry into the Sixth Man of the Year Award proceedings.

Or it may just be reaffirmation that Nikola Vucevic is a very good, starter-quality player who just happens to be coming off the bench as the Magic run through this hot spell.

So when Fournier jokes, with Vucevic standing not five feet away from him after a win, that his friend and teammate should come off the bench and provide a punch for the team, it is both a statement of Vucevic’s success in his impromptu role and also just how good Vucevic has been.

It is hard not to notice what Vucevic has brought to the second unit.

“He’s doing great,” Andrew Nicholson said. “He is providing us a lot of spark off the bench. He is making the game easier for us.”

Vucevic has done more than great. Since returning from a nearly three-week absence Thursday against the Indiana Pacers, Vucevic has been on a tear.

Coming off the bench in those three games, he is averaging 23.7 points per game while shooting 68.1 percent from the floor. Sunday, he threw in another 25 points on 10-for-19 shooting in 32 minutes, the most he has played since returning from the injury. He also recorded his first double double since returning.

More than that though, Vucevic played an impact in the second quarter. The Magic took control after trailing by one and took the lead for good with Vucevic on the floor. He was +12 in the game as the bench wore down the undermanned Grizzlies.

For now, Vucevic is playing his role and succeeding in it. But his production is about him getting healthy and getting some time to rediscover his rhythm.

“Watching all the games gave me a chance to analyze how we were playing and learn the game in a different way,” Vucevic said. “When I came back, I had a chance to work on my game a lot. Those things help and they transfer to the court. I don’t know if coming off the bench helps it or changes anything. I have the same mindset whether I am coming off the bench or starting, be prepared and ready to play. I don’t think it changes much for me.”

Vucevic said he spent at least part of his time while he was injured working on his shot and getting a lot of shots up. He was not able to be completely mobile or do much work, but shooting he could do.

It should be no surprise then that he has come out so strong, even off the bench.

Vucevic is a good player who can produce. He has helped bring some good balance to the lineup. When he returns to the starting lineup is up in the air.

Coach Scott Skiles said before Sunday’s game, he would continue bringing Vucevic off the bench for the time being to help manage his minutes as he returns from injury. There is still time when Vucevic is asking for time to come out of games as he battles through fatigue and getting his conditioning back.

The intent though from Skiles is to have Vucevic in at the end of games. And largely Vucevic is still playing something similar to starter’s minutes since his return.

The bench experiment will not last much longer. Vucevic will return to the starting lineup at some point despite his effectiveness with the second unit.

“I prefer to start obviously,” Vucevic said. “I have been starting for a long time. You go right in the game and get going. You start off the game right. These three games, it worked out for me and for the team. I would rather start.”

As any player would. Skiles has said throughout the season — particularly when he sent Victor Oladipo to the bench in December — that he would be disappointed if a player did not want to start or did not believe he could start.

Dewayne Dedmon has been admirable in his play in Vucevic’s stead. He has turned in some great performances and helps the team with its rim protection. But he is also still very raw. He does not provide everything Vucevic can provide.

The lineup as it is constructed is working right now. There is no getting around that. It does not seem like it will change, although it is destined to do so.

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“Vuc is definitely a starter,” Fournier said, all kidding put to the side. “The way he plays right now is impressive. Coming off injury, being on the sideline for 2-3 weeks. It’s impressive.”

There will be no Sixth Man of the Year candidacy for Vucevic. But right now, he is playing perhaps some of his best, hot-shooting, decent-defense basketball of the year. Perhaps it is coincidence it is coming off the bench, perhaps not.

The results speak for themselves though.