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Orlando Magic 2017 Season Review: What Went Right — Lessons Learned For The Future

By Ryan Doyle

Mar 11, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; With less than a minute left in the game key magic players watch the game from the bench (left to right) Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) and guard Evan Fournier (10) and forward Aaron Gordon (00) and guard Elfrid Payton (4) and forward Terrence Ross (31) during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Amway Center. The Cavaliers won 116-104. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; With less than a minute left in the game key magic players watch the game from the bench (left to right) Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) and guard Evan Fournier (10) and forward Aaron Gordon (00) and guard Elfrid Payton (4) and forward Terrence Ross (31) during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Amway Center. The Cavaliers won 116-104. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 8, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic forward Terrence Ross (31) takes a shot in the second half as Indiana Pacers forward CJ Miles (0) defends at Amway Center. Indiana Pacers won 127-112. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic forward Terrence Ross (31) takes a shot in the second half as Indiana Pacers forward CJ Miles (0) defends at Amway Center. Indiana Pacers won 127-112. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports /

Keep it small

In today’s NBA, “small ball” is all the craze. Teams are relying less and less on seven footers and are using smaller players in replace of them.

That was not the case for the Magic as they started the season. The Magic featured an imposing trio of Ibaka, Nikola Vucevic and Bismack Biyombo to protect the paint. Although all three were solid defensive players, trying to go big did not work for the Magic.

At the trade deadline, the Magic decided the going big experiment failed. They traded Ibaka for Terrence Ross and the Magic immediately changed their style. The offense moved faster and the Magic started to slowly but surely speed up their pace.

he offense moved faster and the Magic started to slowly, but surely, speed up their pace.

Along with the improvements Gordon saw with the move to smaller lineups, point guard Elfrid Payton ended the season on a high note. In the final month of the season, Elfrid Payton averaged 16.0 points per game, 5.7 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game.

He also had five triple doubles in the last two months, showing that when Payton is in the right situation, he can be a special player. The small ball lineup was a good fit for the young talent on Orlando’s roster.

Although the young guys took a big step up, the team’s offense looked much better. The team scored more points per game — 99.5 points per game before the All-Star Break to 104.9 points per game after the break. The new up-tempo style finally gave the Magic offense a jolt that it has not had in a long time.