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2016-17 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Jodie Meeks

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Jan 2, 2017; New York, NY, USA; Orlando Magic guard Jodie Meeks (20) drives to the basket past New York Knicks guard Courtney Lee (5) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2017; New York, NY, USA; Orlando Magic guard Jodie Meeks (20) drives to the basket past New York Knicks guard Courtney Lee (5) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /
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Best Game of 2017

Dec. 13 @ Atlanta Hawks
20 points, 7/10 FGs, 4/6 3FGs

Jodie Meeks had played in only six games when the Magic rolled into Atlanta to take on the Atlanta Hawks. Their defense was beginning to fall apart but the offense was coming around. And Meeks was making a big impact in that offensive turnaround (yes, scoring 100 points was considered a turnaround back then).

Meeks already had one breakout game, scoring 18 in the shootout with the Washington Wizards. This would be another one. And it came in Meeks’ hometown of Atlanta.

Meeks dropped 20 points, including four 3-pointers as the Magic won running away in their best offensive performance of the season. Orlando tallied 36 assists in the game, a season high.

Meeks was the beneficiary of a lot of those assists.

This was a game where Meeks introduced himself to the Magic in full. They saw how quickly he could get his shot off and how much he could damage defenses by his presence alone.

Leave him some space coming around a screen and he will bury a 3-pointer quickly. Shade too much in his favor and the team was going to give up another look elsewhere. This was the effect Meeks would have for the Magic the rest of the season.

And it worked to its absolute best in this meeting in Atlanta.