Orlando Magic Power Rankings Roundup: Elements of culture

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Mar 24, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic guard Mario Hezonja (8) grabs a pass against the Detroit Pistons during the second half at Amway Center. Orlando Magic defeated the Detroit Pistons 115-87. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

John Schuhmann, NBA.com

Golden State Warriors. 1. team. 41. . (63-14). Previous:

27. team. 147. . (18-59). Previous: . Brooklyn Nets

38. . (27-50). Previous: . Orlando Magic. 28. team

"If Russell Westbrook wins the MVP award, Nikola Vucevic will have done his part, missing the free throw that set up Westbrook’s ridiculous game-tying three and allowing him to add seven points, four rebounds and two assists in the extra five minutes of a signature performance on Wednesday. The Magic’s bench issues continued in Brooklyn on Saturday, when their starting lineup was a plus-10, but they were outscored by 20 points in 26 minutes with at least one reserve on the floor. Mario Hezonja hasn’t benefited from a more consistent role; Among the 220 players who have taken at least 100 shots since the All-Star break, only Stanley Johnson (36.0 percent) and Marcus Smart (36.4 percent) and have a lower effective field goal percentage than Hezonja (37.6 percent)."

Previous: . Los Angeles Lakers. 29. team. 20. . (22-55)

The Orlando Magic are seemingly two teams since the All-Star Break. There are the starters, who have continued to play at least a respectable level of basketball and given the Magic plenty of leads. And then there is the bench, which has struggled mightily.

Since the All-Star Break, the Magic have a -6.4 net rating, still in the bottom five in the league and only slightly better than the team’s overall -6.6 net rating. But the Magic’s starting lineup of Elfrid Payton, Evan Fournier, Terrence Ross, Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic have a +0.3 net rating.

Replacing Bismack Biyombo for Nikola Vucevic, a lineup the Magic have not really used since Vucevic’s injury a month ago, and the team is +1.4 points per 100 possessions. The team has spent most of the post-break with that starting lineup somewhere between +2 and +3 points per 100 possessions.

The Magic clearly have something that works and something that does not. Orlando just cannot seem to get consistent contribution from the team’s reserves. And it puts the starters in tricky situations where they are fending off a confident team late or having to dig themselves out of a hole.

It is not ideal either way. And Orlando is looking for better balance overall.