Orlando Magic Power Rankings Roundup: One thing or another
John Schuhmann, NBA.com
29. . (51-14). Previous: . San Antonio Spurs. 1. team
team. 27. . (26-41). Previous: . New York Knicks. 26
38. . (24-43). Previous: . Orlando Magic. 27. team
"Elfrid Payton is looking more like a competent point guard, maybe because he is part of a starting lineup that fits together better with Terrence Ross and Aaron Gordon at the forward positions. Payton recorded two straight triple doubles last week and has a 3.14 assist-turnover ratio since the break, even though the Magic have been the league’s worst post-break 3-point shooting team at a brutal 27.7 percent. Gordon may be a better fit at the four, but that doesn’t mean he can shoot. He’s 3-for-28 from 3-point range over his last 11 games and Ross (26 percent) hasn’t been able to pick up the slack since he arrived. Still, the Magic have scored 111 points per 100 possessions when the pair have been on the floor with Payton."
20. . (20-46). Previous: . Los Angeles Lakers. 28. team
One of the great anomalies for the Orlando Magic since the All-Star Break is indeed the fact the team has more space to operate and more space for Payton to attack the paint and work off the dribble, but the team is terrible from beyond the arc.
The Magic are shooting 29.1 percent from beyond the arc after the All-Star Break. Terrence Ross is even less than 30 percent from there too. The Magic are struggling to make 3-pointers. Which, again, is contradictory because the Magic are supposed to have more shooting with Ross out there and more space.
That is the difference between good shooting and the threat of good shooting. There is a difference. And sometimes the threat of good shooting is as important. Of course, scoring points is nice too. That is also a problem for the Magic still. Orlando is 20th in the league in offensive rating since the All-Star Break.
The momentum of those early days after the All-Star Break seem to have faded. The Magic have discovered something still. Their starting lineup especially still works in this new style. But now other pieces do not fit. And the whole thing has not coalesced perfectly.
The Magic were hoping to build momentum to the end of the season — and they still might. But it is also clear this team is far from a finished product.