With a long way to go until the season tips off, let’s simulate what next season might have in store for the Orlando Magic with the help of NBA 2K17.
Our friends over at Piston Powered put together a fantastic post recently to help pass the time before the 2018 season. Duncan Smith simulated an entire season on NBA 2K17 with the current Detroit Pistons roster to see how the team may fair next season.
Now it is our turn to do this.
The Orlando Magic are going to get the 2K treatment as we fall into the lull of the offseason. It is time to see if the Magic can make a postseason run. At least in virtual reality.
To get things started, the search for an updated Orlando Magic roster began. EmbraceThePace, a veteran at 2K roster creation made life much easier. The roster includes every player on the Magic’s current roster except for center Khem Birch, who is reportedly set to sign with the Magic after spending some time overseas. The signing is not yet confirmed.
Eds. Note: Jonathon Simmons was added at the 10 game mark to reflect Friday’s news.
Like the simulation at Pistons Powered, this will take place using the 2017 schedule. Also, the season will be broken down into 10 game stretches.
Of course, it is only a video game, but in an Eastern conference that is so dreadful, should there be at least some hope for the Magic?
With new leadership and a top-10 pick, the Magic are looking to finally take a step toward relevancy. Will 2K believe in the Magic?
Games 1-10
Record: 3-7
The Orlando Magic struggled to begin the season. In their first 10 games, the team finished with a putrid 3-7 record and struggled on the offensive end.
The team lost back-to-back games to start the year before coming away with a victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The win would have been more impressive if LeBron James was not out with a high ankle sprain.
Still, rookie Jonathan Isaac had a fantastic night with 24 points as he shot 10 for 15 from the field and 3 for 5 from beyond the arc. Point guard Elfrid Payton also had a great night as he scored 18 points while adding seven rebounds and five assists.
The Magic would then lose their next four straight games to begin the season with a 1-6 record.
With their backs against the wall, Orlando needed a few wins. That is exactly what they got with back-to-back victories against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz. The first stretch would end with a bitter loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder (Russell Westbrook dropped an other-worldly 44/16/15).
Notes
- The Magic offense ranked 25th in the league in scoring to start the year. Their 3-point shooting has also been a major problem as the team is just better than 30 percent in that category.
- Leading the team in scoring was Terrence Ross with 13.4 points per game with Nikola Vucevic leading the team on the glass with 9.5 boards per game.
- Jonathan Isaac has impressed so far offensively by averaging just shy of 11 points per game coming off of the bench. He has also hit 11 of 24 3-pointers to start the year.
Games 11-20
Record: 6-4 … Overall Record: 9-11
Orlando had a much better stretch during this set of games. The Magic went 6-4 stretch and had a handful of very impressive wins.
The Magic won their first game with newly acquired Jonathon Simmons in the lineup. He scored 11 points and added four boards as Orlando beat the Indiana Pacers 107-99. Simmons would follow that with a 28-point performance in a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
The next three games would go fairly well for Orlando as they demolished the Dallas Mavericks thanks to a strong performance from Jonathan Isaac and Evan Fournier. They would lose to the Milwaukee Bucks in the next game. But they would sneak out a victory against the Phoenix Suns.
The last five games saw the Magic continue their consistency with wins over the Milwaukee Bucks, San Antonio Spurs and Philadelphia 76ers.
It appears Orlando figured something out with Simmons joining the squad.
Notes:
- After being with the team for just 10 games, Simmons leads the team in scoring with 13.8 points per contest.
- Nikola Vucevic is still doing work on the boards as he is averaging just less than 11 per game.
- Defense has been an issue for Orlando as their offense has started to come alive. They are 21st in the league in points allowed. This is very similar to what happened in 2017.
- Although the offense has been better, the team needs a shooting threat as they are only hitting 33 percent of their threes.
Games 21-30
Record: 3-7 . . . Overall Record: 12-18
Only 30 games into the season and hope may already be lost for the Magic. The injury bug hit Orlando badly at this point in the seaosn.
Two starters are going to miss at least four weeks. Both Aaron Gordon and Elfrid Payton broke bones in their leg. Orlando only managed to win three games during this stretch and this may become a trend now that two of their highest rated players are gone.
With Aaron Gordon on the bench, Jonathan Isaac was unable to fill his shoes. He struggled offensively and in his first three games as a starter only shot 30 percent from the floor. Like Jonathan Isaac, Shelvin Mack has done a poor job replacing Elfrid Payton.
As Orlando headed into the holiday season, both the Toronto Raptors and the Miami Heat would beat them handily. The lone bright spot in these games was Vucevic who had a 19-point and 19-rebound game against Miami.
Notes
- Hope for a postseason berth already seems like a pipe dream.
- The defense continues to get worse without Gordon on the floor. The team looks eerily similar to last season.
- Vucevic has taken over as the team’s leading scorer and is now averaging a double-double.
- Isaac has seen his minutes take a boost, but his numbers are not improving.
- Simmons continues to quietly produce for a struggling Orlando team.
Games 31-40
Record: 2-8 . . . Overall Record: 14-26
As hope fades, the Magic made a minor move that should bring a smile to fans’ face. In a move to dump salary, Orlando traded D.J. Augustin for Dewayne Dedmon. Again, this is a true simulation and Orlando’s 2K front office made this move. Somehow the Magic will play Nikola Vucevic, Dewayne Dedmon and Bismack Biyombo minutes together.
Of course, Dedmon did not move the needle much as the Magic dropped to 14-26 on the year.
This group of games started with a pair of losses to the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers. Vucevic dominated in both games putting together a pair of 20-20 performances. Although, the Magic lost both games by a combined 61 points.
After what seems like forever, Orlando found the win column in the team’s next contest against the Memphis Grizzlies. Vucevic had another fantastic game as he snagged 18 boards and scored 26 points. Isaac also added 21 points.
The final seven games would be ones to forget. Orlando only managed to win one game and essentially put the nail in their season’s coffin. The low point of the season so far came against the last-place Pacers where the Magic only scored 71 points on the road.
Notes:
- Vucevic has emerged as the best offensive weapon so far this season, but his defense has still been an issue as opposing centers have had their way with him this season.
- Terrence Ross has found his shooting stroke again and has brought his field goal percentage to a solid 45 percent.
- Isaac has shown steady improvement from behind the arc as he now is shooting 39 percent from three.
Games 41-50
Record: 1-9 . . . Overall Record: 15-35
Well, it is not turning out to be a successful 2018 in Orlando.
The Magic win just one game during this stretch and sit at 15-35. Which is good enough for the worst record in the league.
In response to the struggles, the Magic traded away Shelvin Mack and 2017 second-round pick Wesley Iwundu for Ramon Sessions and Johnny O’Bryant. Both players are off the books at the end of the season.
About the only good news during this stretch was the return of Gordon and Payton, who played pretty well under the circumstances.
Notes:
- Orlando has the fourth-worst offense and the third-worst defense in the NBA.
- Vucevic continues to be the team’s leading scorer
- Isaac has shown steady improvement over the past few weeks. There is serious hope he can be a key building block in Orlando.
Games 51-60
Record: 5-5 . . . Overall Record: 20-40
To the surprise of everyone, the Magic had their first All-Star since Dwight Howard. Vucevic managed to be one of the final players to make the roster. In his lone All-Star appearance, he scored two points in 10 minutes.
No news to mention at the deadline as Orlando sat tight.
Although the season is lost, the Magic did go 5-5 during this stretch. The squad continues to fight and play hard, even with the postseason out of reach and another losing season all but assured.
Another surprise has been the strong play of backup point guard Ramon Sessions. He scored 21, 15 and another 15 during a three-game win streak. The 31-year-old is making a case for one more contract when he hits free agency at year’s end.
Notes:
- The league rankings are not much worse, but Orlando now sits in second to last in front of the Pistons in the Eastern Conference.
- Rookie sensation Jonathan Isaac is now scoring more than 12 points per game and is starting to make his mark on the glass with nearly five boards per game.
- Vucevic is on pace to average a double-double with 14.7 points per game and 11.7 rebounds per game.
Games 61-70
Record: 4-6 . . . Overall Record: 24-46
As the Magic sit 10 games out of the playoffs, the front office decided it was time for a new face to man the sidelines. The virtual Magic fired Frank Vogel on March 6 after a one-point loss to the Knicks. The team hired a made-up coach, if you were wondering).
With a healthy team, the Magic seem to be playing just worse than .500 basketball. They went 4-6 in their last 10 games and are slowing climbing up the standings. Of course, it is going to be far too little, far too late. But moral victories mean something at this point.
Each game it seems like the Magic have a different leading scorer and it has been a problem for years now. Without a consistent offensive option, the team goes through some quiet stretches. They cannot put together a nice half of basketball.
Notes:
- Terrence Ross put together a solid stretch and is now averaging 13 points per game, the third-highest mark on the team.
- Even when coming off the bench, Isaac’s stats mirror Gordon’s. The rookie is only trailing in the rebound category. A good sign for Orlando’s sixth overall selection.
- The three-point shot continues to be an issue as Orlando is 29th in the league in that category.
Game 71-82
Record: 4-8 . . . Overall Record: 28-54
It is over. The long, painful 2K season for the Magic has come to a merciful end.
The Magic finished with a 28-54 record. That is good enough for the fourth-worst mark in the league. Orlando’s offense was second-worst in the league (100.4 points per game) and their defense was the eighth-worst at 107.3 points allowed per game.
Although he did not make an All-Rookie team, Isaac stood out on the Magic. For a team that struggled as bad as it did, Isaac was probably the lone bright spot, even with Vucevic’s strong stretches.
The team’s scoring title was a tie between Vucevic and Fournier, who averaged 14.1 points per contest. Vucevic won the battle on the glass too. Payton led the team in assists with 6.5 per game.
For those wondering, the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals in five games.
Final thoughts
This was a fun idea. Although the season got out of hand early, it showed how thin the Magic truly are. No matter what is said about the starters, if one of them goes down for an extended period the team will be in trouble next season. Even after adding Simmons to the lineup.
Yes, it is a video game and the trades and firings are unrealistic, but the Magic’s season could be this painful. The team is eerily similar to last season’s and it may not lead to a better result.
The Magic did not make many changes this summer — just Jonathan Isaac, Shelvin Mack and Jonathon Simmons.It is not super surprising to see the team finish roughly the same.
Yet, it probably would be disappointing to fans to see the Magic struggle this much yet again. Even with the promise of a high Lottery pick. Orlando knows as much as anyone, there is no guarantee in the Lottery at all.
This is just one iteration. When NBA2K18 comes out, the results (and ratings) might change to create a different result. The beauty of being 0-0 is the possibility that anything can happen. In mid-July, it is likely too soon to get too bogged down in what will happen in the 2018 season.
Next: Orlando Magic see hope in shift to smaller lineups
Again, thanks to the guys over at Piston Powered for the inspiration.