What the Orlando Magic have to be thankful for

The Orlando Magic have had an uneven and unnerving start to their season. Frank Vogel though has been a big boost to the team and its future prospects.

As they do every Thanksgiving, the Orlando Magic’s coaches, players, staff and executives went to the Coalition for the Homeless to serve Thanksgiving breakfast.

For the Magic organization, Thanksgiving and Christmas are a big time for the organization. They spend much of their time donating their time and resources to those in need. Serge Ibaka handed out Thanksgiving meals Tuesday as part of his efforts with the Serge Ibaka Foundation.

The Magic are out in the community in full force for the next month.

It is one of the many reasons the Magic and Orlando have such a special and important relationship. The Magic have truly made Orlando a better place.

The season for the Magic so far has been a bit difficult. The team has struggled to get its offense off the ground, but it has slowly found a defensive identity. Still, at 6-9, fans are a bit disappointed. The Playoff promises for the season are still within reach, but there is a healthy amount of skepticism facing the Magic.

Orlando is still finding its footing this season.

Typically teams begin to settle into their identities between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The rhythm of the season becomes normal and teams settle into their identities.

The Magic will head to San Antonio on Tuesday to begin a weeklong East Coast road trip. This will likely begin the Magic figuring out its true identity and where the team rests in the Eastern Conference pecking order.

The season gains its focus very very soon.

Thanksgiving is always a time for reflection, though. The Magic have had some struggles to start the season. Fans are worried the team will not be able to accomplish its goals and take that next step into the Playoffs. The team certainly has given reasons for frustration.

But the team is taking some steps forward. And there is at least one personnel move that appears to have worked and put the team on the right direction.

As Michael Saenz of Sir Charles in Charge writes, the Magic can be thankful for Frank Vogel:

"The Orlando Magic may not have the best roster construction, but the fact that they managed to snag Frank Vogel away from the Indiana Pacers (after he was fired) has to be considered a huge success for this franchise.The Magic may not know exactly where they’re going, especially when you consider that we still don’t know which players are part of the future, but they have a nice leader ready to take charge.Orlando has struggled to open the season, but it’s not insane to believe that Vogel will figure things out. He will."

Indeed, it appears he has figured at least one major piece out. The piece the Magic have tried to build for the last four years and finally seem to have taken some root.

Orlando started the year as one of the worst defensive teams in the league. Within the last two weeks, the team has risen to eighth in the league in defensive rating. That was a big part of what Vogel wanted to bring to the Magic.

At least part of the formula for the Magic is getting resolved.

That was the reputation Vogel had and what the Magic expected him to bring. It is looking like the Magic finally have established a program and an identity that can play defense at a very high level.

The offense, on the other hand. . .

Well, the Magic are only a game off last year’s pace. Although, that perhaps is not much solace since no one seemed satisfied with last year’s 35-win season.

Vogel has helped the Magic develop an identity of sorts. It seems the Magic have a coach that has elevated players — at least on defense — to a new level. The next piece is still under construction.

Orlando has faced a lot of questions this year. And there is a lot of uncertainty facing this season. But one thing does seem very set and pretty certain.

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That is the defensive mentality and identity Vogel has already instilled in this team. It provides all the hope for this team’s immediate future.