Orlando Magic Power Rankings Roundup: Searching and trying
Marc Stein, ESPN.com
(13-2). Previous: . Cleveland Cavaliers. 1. team. 156. After becoming the first team ever to sink at least 20 3-pointers in consecutive games in wins over Portland and Dallas, Cleveland predictably did only as much as it had to in Philly to pad what already must feel like an insurmountable lead to the rest of the East. <strong><a rel=
Previous: . Washington Wizards. 25. team. 142. A big week looms for <strong><a rel=. (5-10)
Frank Vogel is trying. He made three changes to the starting lineup to jolt some life into Orlando’s bottom-three offense, but the moves — <strong><a rel=. (6-11). Previous: . Orlando Magic. 26. team. 38
93. Sunday was setting up to be a special afternoon for the Sixers, when Cleveland missed its first 14 shots and the home team took its upset bid all the way to the end before succumbing to the inevitable frustrating narrow defeat. Credit Philly, though, for continuing to faithfully obey the minutes restrictions placed on <strong><a rel=. (4-13). Previous: . Philadelphia 76ers. 27. team
No one is blaming Frank Vogel for any of the Orlando Magic’s problems right now.
Vogel has somehow crafted a top-10 defense out of the Magic so far this season. It has become part of the team’s identity. And it has kept them in games.
But something is still clearly off about the Magic. They still have a lot of work to do. And Vogel is pulling a lot of levers to try to make things work. The latest one is that starting lineup change. But players the Magic needed to step up into expanded roles — like Aaron Gordon — simply have not done so.