The Orlando Magic are still coming together as a unit. They are beginning to show results on the court and signs of growth early in the season.
Coach Frank Vogel has repeated time and time again, he does not know when things will come together for the Orlando Magic. The gelling process and coming together is a slow and steady one.
At this point, even players are tired of answering questions about chemistry and learning to play together — Bismack Biyombo has gotten adept at sniffing out these questions and giving reporters a hard time about it. The storyline is a bit tired.
It remains though the biggest question facing this developing team. And, at long last, they have put together back-to-back efforts showing signs that gelling process is shortening.
“Every small success is a confidence builder early in the season and early with a new group,” Vogel said. “ night was another one. That team is a good team with one of the best players in the world. And he gave us a handful. But our guys being able to figure out a game throughout the game and ultimately be our best in the fourth quarter when it matters is a big confidence-boosting achievement. Hopefully that carries over into the next game.”
Against the Sacramento Kings, the Magic hung tough as DeMarcus Cousins put on a barrage of post moves and scoring against them. They lost contact with Rudy Gay a few times. Energy from D.J. Augustin, Bismack Biyombo and Jeff Green in the second quarter gave the Magic the lead. And they did not give it up.
In the second half, the defense buckled down. Especially in the fourth quarter. Having done little to stop Cousins before the fourth quarter, Vogel put Nikola Vucevic on him to give Serge Ibaka or the weak-side big a chance to provide added rim protection.
Nikola Vucevic held his ground well though. And that made the defense stronger. The Magic made adjustments on their own and held firm defensively in the fourth quarter for the win.
The team was learning and growing in front of everyone.
“Each game is an experience for us,” said Aaron Gordon, who had his own defensive coming out party in stopping Rudy Gay after Gay had made his first five shots. “It’s not necessarily good or bad, it’s just learning. If we can continue that growth mindset, we will grow exponentially. We’ll be better game after game and you will see the improvement from game to game.”
The truth of the matter is the Magic were not perfect Thursday. It was their best 48 minutes of the season, but still a long way from where they want to be.
The Kings shot better than 50 percent for most of the game until the Magic buckled down in the fourth quarter. Orlando had a 103.9 defensive rating in the game, that would be 17th in the league.
The Magic played better defense, but hardly the elite-level defense they have professed to be as their goal.
The offense too still had its moments where it got stuck. Players continue to run into the same spots and defenses are sunk into the paint cutting off any driving lanes or chance at creating a good shot. It is still a struggle.
And there is the little matter that two games does not make a season. Two games against teams that are not considered Playoff contenders at all is also nothing to get too excited about.
The Magic have reversed some of the feeling of concern and anxiousness from the early part of the season. But still have some work to do.
“It’s getting there,” Evan Fournier said. “But you don’t create habits in two games. obviously it was better last night. But we still made a lot of mistakes and a lot of stuff that we can adjust. It’s not perfect, but it’s better.”
This has been a common theme as the Magic try to gel. For the Magic it is about going through these growing pains but still finding wins in the process.
Thursday’s win was an encouraging sign of what this team can still build. It was a good game. But still far from where the team wants to be.
The Magic want to win in these situations. They played well and well enough to win. There will be games — like Tuesday’s win over the Philadelphia 76ers — where they make mistakes. But even then, they have to find a way.
The Magic will still improve. And they have to realize that more than anything that they can still improve. This is not the peak for them.
Each game remains an opportunity to get better and to build their (yes) chemistry and take that next step as a team.
“ we come out and it’s another growth opportunity for us,” Aaron Gordon said. “It’s a chance to experience each other. We’re starting to figure out who we are as a team. Defensively we can be a monster.”
Winning while discovering all this is a bonus. A thing good teams find a way to do.
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The Magic have found a way to do that the last two nights. And that is something they can grow and build on as they continue to gel.