Orlando Magic Season Review 2016

6 of 7

Evan Fournier, Orlando Magic, Kent Bazemore, Atlanta Hawks

Feb 7, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon (00) looks on as Magic guard Evan Fournier (10) shoots a three point basket as Atlanta Hawks forward Kent Bazemore (24) closes in during the second half of a basketball game at Amway Center. The Magic won 96-94. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

Shooters

The final stage of the recap looked at the team’s shooting.

This has been a bugaboo for the Magic throughout the season. This roster does not have a ton of 3-point shooting to say the least and not a great record as shooters.

That is what made Evan Fournier’s emergence so key to the season.

Fournier was seen as a key player throughout his first season in Orlando, but injuries kept him from really taking flight. In his second season, finally healthy and getting a featured role, Fournier flourished.

He was not good enough to be the primary star on the roster, but took the role when he needed to and when it was his turn. Fournier’s emergence was as good a thing that happened this year as any other.

As David Iwanowski wrote, the way the Magic used him allowed him to breakout:

"But Fournier improved his game and became a very important part of this Magic team. Fournier was one of the most consistent players on the Magic offensively this year, and he helped Skiles’ offense flow. He averaged 15.4 points per game and 2.7 assists per game, and he had a very strong 46.2 percent shooting from the floor, 40 percent from beyond the arc and 83.6 percent shooting from the line. Fournier became the one taking big shots and running the offense in key moments. The Magic relied heavily on him at times, and he largely produced."

Fournier was the Magic’s best 3-point shooter, and probably their only consistent 3-point shooter in the rotation.

Orlando had to find shooting somewhere and had to try to get to the basket somehow. Again, the Magic struggled to get to the foul line. And that means the Magic had to rely more on jump shooting than ever.

They ended up being one of the most mid-range-happy teams in the league. And that was fine because Nikola Vucevic could make those shots pretty effectively. And then Victor Oladipo started making those shots at a good clip.

But overall that is still an inefficient shot, even if the Magic were shooting it better than league average:

"Perhaps that was the issue, the team was not strong going to the basket. Only a little more than one-third — 33.8 percent — of the Magic’s shots came within five feet. The Magic hit that mark. A little more than a quarter — 25.5 percent — of their shots came from beyond the arc, the league average obviously varies there. It was not that the Magic were abnormal shooting mid-range jump shots. They were about league average both from a field goal percentage and a field goal distribution. Settling for mid-range jumpers though became more prevalent because of the team’s personnel and because of the team’s poor ability to get to the foul line."

The Magic still had offensive issues to get through with their shot selection and what shots they take. Fournier was a bright spot and several players had strong individual seasons, but there were still issues with the offense. And it was clear.

Next: The takeaway?