John Schuhmann, NBA.com
"Elfrid Payton has seven career triple-doubles and all (including four this season) have taken place in the month of March, with the latest coming against Detroit on Friday. The Magic have won three out of four for the first time since December, holding their opponent under a point per possession in each of the three wins. Nikola Vucevic has recorded 14 assists (setting a career high with eight against Charlotte on Wednesday) over the last two games, mostly doing work out of the high post. Vucevic still has the fifth lowest free throw rate among starting centers (about even with that of 38-year-old Dirk Nowitzki), getting to the line just 16 times per 100 shots from the field."
Two players were probably more directly responsible for the Orlando Magic’s recent win streak — Nikola Vucevic and Elfrid Payton. They kept the ball moving and seemed to play to their strengths.
Payton was the acrobat driving to the basket and creating for others. That has been the way he has played all March as noted before.
Vucevic was doing a lot more yeoman’s work. He was getting his post game back under control (Wednesday’s game felt like the outlier). And more importantly, he was sucking the defense to him and passing out to the perimeter. Those assists did not seem so fluky.
As with everything, when the Magic pass the ball, they are a much better team. Significantly better. There is a lot to Frank Vogel’s “trust the pass” coachism. It has to be a continued message from everyone on the roster.
Because last week when the Magic moved the ball effectively, they played some fantastic basketball.