Orlando Magic 2017 Season Review: Top 10 Games of 2017

December 14, 2016

Even into mid-December, the Aaron Gordon experiment at small forward was still uncertain either way. Yes, the Orlando Magic’s defense was killer, running roughshod through the league. It looked like that part of the plan was working perfectly. There was no reason to believe that part would not work.

The offense? The offense was a struggle. And Gordon seemed to be struggling a lot too. Heading into the Dec. 14 game against the LA Clippers, Gordon was averaging 9.5 points per game and shooting 41.5 percent from the floor. The offense was not agreeing with Gordon at small forward. The questions about where he fit only grew.

Then Dec. 14 happened. Gordon looked like a different player.

Going up against the smaller Austin Rivers, or sometimes even J.J. Redick, Gordon dominated. He scored 33 points on 13-for-21 shooting, making four of his eight 3-pointers. He added seven rebounds for good measure.

This was Gordon’s coming out party offensively. A game that made it seem like he could do anything with the ball in his hands and that the experiment could indeed work.

The matchup advantage was clearly the reason why Gordon had this breakthrough game. He had a similarly strong performance — 28 points on 11-for-17 shooting — in the game in Los Angeles against the Clippers.

Gordon clearly had a learning curve when it came to playing the small forward position. Often times he would try to do too much, believing he needed to play like a Paul George rather than doing what he does best.

Gordon’s overall shooting and scoring were better this year. But it came largely when he kept things simple. When he attacked quickly and confidently, he was deadly. When he dribbled around aimlessly or seemed to be probing, this is when he got himself in trouble.

Gordon needed to attack quickly and simply to experience games like this.

"Gordon became the go-to guy. He became the reliable offensive option and the defensive stopper. This is what Gordon can be at his very best. This is who the Magic drafted when they looked at this young player full of potential. This two-way player capable of burning a team on either end with his agility and speed, creating mismatches in his favor on both ends against anybody. The process has been slow, but Gordon is beginning to realize who he can be. Incrementally, Gordon is finding his fit in the NBA and shining with the Magic."

Of course, the Magic did not come out on top. Austin Rivers scored 25 points, hitting clutch 3-pointers in the fourth quarter as he escaped the defense. And the Clippers were able to pull away for the win.

It was another frustrating glimpse at how good Gordon could be, how the Magic were misusing him and how the team simply could not get over the hump and get wins.

For one night, everyone believed Gordon could indeed become a star.