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Orlando Magic Daily Roundtable: Meeting first quarter expectations

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Dec 6, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Orlando Magic guard Evan Fournier (10) and center Bismack Biyombo (11) react after a basket during the third quarter against the Washington Wizards at Verizon Center. Orlando Magic defeated Washington Wizards 124-116. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 6, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Orlando Magic guard Evan Fournier (10) and center Bismack Biyombo (11) react after a basket during the third quarter against the Washington Wizards at Verizon Center. Orlando Magic defeated Washington Wizards 124-116. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Serge Ibaka, Orlando Magic, Domantas Sabonis, Oklahoma City Thunder
Nov 13, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Orlando Magic forward Serge Ibaka (7) dunks the ball in front of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Domantas Sabonis (3) during the first quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

What surprised you about the Orlando Magic in the first quarter of the season?

Iwanowski: The Magic have joined the stretch-5 club! The team knew that if they were going to score 90 points consistently, they would have to get more range out of some of their bigs. Although Aaron Gordon has not come along there, Nikola Vucevic and Serge Ibaka are both shooting 40 percent from three on the season. Vucevic seems to be looking for that shot more often than he ever has in his Magic career, following the trend Marc Gasol and Brook Lopez set. If that shot remains consistently in the 40s, the Magic may have just enough spacing for their slashers to thrive, and that could help this offense rise toward the bad level rather than sink at the league-worst range.

Jumani: The one thing that surprised me was that Serge Ibaka is shooting 40-plus percent from the 3-point line. I thought his numbers would dip this year because teams would not leave him open at times like last season because they were worried about Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook. He has had a bigger offensive load this season and he has done a terrific job of handling that role. At first, he really struggled and the Orlando Magic looked like fools by trading Victor Oladipo. But, if Ibaka signs an extension with the Magic, they will clearly be winners of that shocking Oladipo-Ibaka trade on draft night that upset many Magic fans.

Palmer: As of late? The level of defensive improvement from Nikola Vucevic. He is no Bismack Biyombo when it comes to rim protection but Vucevic is now typically in the right place at the right time. Vucevic is now contesting shots he normally just looked at and seems less confused about his role on that end. He may not be the best pick and roll big on defense but he’s certainly no longer an absolute negative on that end.

Rossman-Reich: I suspected Serge Ibaka could develop into a star-adjacent player when given more time. And perhaps it took longer for him to get there than I thought he would. But Ibaka has indeed gotten there. He is making shots at an incredible clip. He is popping well to make his jumpers. His post-ups are down and he is finding more effective ways to score. More importantly, he has turned things around defensively and become like he was earlier in his career defensively. All this with an expanded offensive role. Ibaka is starting to look like the player the Magic wanted when they traded for him.