Orlando Magic Daily
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5 questions the Orlando Magic face in season’s second quarter

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Nov 23, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic guard Evan Fournier (10) shoots the ball in front of Phoenix Suns guard Brandon Knight (11) during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 23, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic guard Evan Fournier (10) shoots the ball in front of Phoenix Suns guard Brandon Knight (11) during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
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Serge Ibaka, Orlando Magic, J.R. Smith, Cleveland Cavaliers
Oct 29, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Orlando Magic forward Serge Ibaka (7) shoots the ball as Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith (5) defends during the first quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

Who emerges as the star?

The Orlando Magic do not necessarily need a superstar player to emerge this year. The team is not trying to compete for a title quite yet. They just want to make the Playoffs.

But it is clear Playoff teams have “star” players. And having an All Star is as much a product of the team’s success. If the Magic are in the Playoff hunt in mid-January when All-Star votes are tallied, the Magic will likely get some consideration.

But who?

That is the bigger question. And it is less about sending a player to New Orleans for All-Star Weekend and more about having someone the team can consistently rely on.

Evan Fournier currently leads the team with 17.2 points per game. But he is struggling from the floor, shooting 43.4 percent from the floor. Teams are focusing more on him and he has more playmaking responsibility now.

What has been big for the Magic in the last few weeks is Serge Ibaka’s emergence.

Ibaka is averaging 14.8 points per game while shooting 49.2 percent from the floor and 40.9 percent from beyond the arc.

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But in the last six games, Ibaka is averaging 17.3 points per game, shooting 56.8 percent from the floor, 32.0 percent from beyond the arc and grabbing 6.7 rebounds per game and an astounding 2.7 blocks per game.

Those are some stellar numbers. It is no coincidence the Magic have reached another level since Ibaka started this tear. The Magic are getting exactly what they traded for in Ibaka the past several weeks.

He looks much more energized and connected defensively. And the team is using him more effectively offensively — fewer post ups, more pick and pops and trailing 3-pointers.

The question with everything is consistency. Can the Magic keep all this up? Things have fluctuated too wildly for Orlando to feel like it has everything under control.

Someone will have to emerge soon.