Aaron Gordon, Orlando Magic seem real in preseason of mirages
As the regular season gets closer and closer, the mirages of the preseason begin to fade and the Orlando Magic begin to look much more real.
Aaron Gordon stared down his defender on the wing, facing up to size up his opponent. Confidence was clearly brimming for Aaron Gordon as he was on his way to a 27-point performance. It was not all dunks and transition play, it was moments just like this one.
Gordon was going to find a way to create a shot. A jab step and pull-up jumper? A step in and turnaround jumper? A post up?
Gordon had all of these at his disposal. And in his 27-point performance during the Orlando Magic’s 103-98 win over the San Antonio Spurs, he used all of it. He went after the Spurs defense, demanding a <gasp> double team on occasions. One he shrugged off with some difficulty, stepping through the double team, losing the ball and collecting it for a layup.
In transition, Gordon is still dynamic as a finisher. The part of his game that was missing was his shooting and his ability to break players down in the half court. His 3-point shot is still coming around — he hit 2 of 7 from beyond the arc Tuesday, but is shooting near 50 percent for the preseason. And he can still force things too much the more he puts the ball on the floor.
But Gordon’s confidence right now is undeniable. And it seems to be growing with each game. His scoring has increased with every preseason game as his opportunities only increase.
If the preseason can be believed, Gordon seems poised for that breakout season everyone has waited for from someone on the Magic. He seems destined for that long-rumored “leap.”
Or maybe he is not. At this point, who really knows what is real? This is the preseason after all.
No one is invested very much in statistics. It is easy to see some moments where guys pull back a bit and rotations are off as coaches get their guys rest and try to experiment with different player rotations. It is hard to get a sense of what is real and what is not.
Orlando Magic
That goes double for a team like the Magic.
The signs throughout this preseason have been extremely encouraging. The team is playing with a renewed pace and a new attitude. It seems like this group finally has an identity. The pieces are not perfect and the Magic still have their flaws, but they seem like they are moving and growing in the right direction.
The defense too still has its flaws. The Magic still have to fix some things on that end if they want to compete seriously. But the team has good intentions and the energy and effort are there. Players like Jonathon Simmons and Bismack Biyombo are making impact plays.
Is any of this real? Can the Magic rely on any of these things this season? Is what the team seeing through five preseason games have any bearings for what they will be next week? Can it carry over?
More importantly, can the fans begin believing in this team?
There has been cautious optimism with this Magic team all summer. The team did not upgrade the talent, but continuity had some value and all these young players had to take a step forward.
Slowly, it might be time to turn that cautious optimism into real optimism. The Magic might be better than expected this season.
Orlando, as a franchise, was careful not to raise expectations during Media Day a few weeks ago. No player set the Playoffs out specifically as a goal. And this team still has a lot of work to do to get there. But there are plenty of signs to suggest this team is actually really good and they are continually reinforced game to game.
What is important throughout this preseason is that consistency. The Magic seemingly have not taken steps back, growing from game to game.
The team has stuck to its identity, looking to push the pace at every opportunity. And they have found success doing so. The starting lineup has looked together and a step ahead, but bench players like Jonathon Simmons and Bismack Biyombo have improved within this system too. The team has seen a general progression with them.
The same can be said defensively too. Orlando still has holes to fill defensively. The offense right now is certainly ahead of the defense overall. But the Magic have played some strong defense for stretches. They have used it to charge their break. And they play hard for now.
There is a lot to like. And a lot to believe in if anyone chooses to believe in it.
It is just the preseason. It is hard to know how much of it will carry on. What works in the preseason may not carry over. Teams ratchet things up and change. The doldrums of the season and its normal rhythms can change things.
But unlike last year, Orlando has competed with every team it has played. There have been no devastating blowouts — even when the team rested players. There has been a dogged determinism about this team to prove some doubters wrong and make as much out of this season as they can.
Is that the sign that things will be OK? Is it OK that the starters have exited the game with the team well in contention?
These are the questions that hover over every preseason. The record and the stats are all mirages, shimmering shapes in the distance for desperate wanderers to hope and pray for.
This Magic mirage, though, seems to have clearer contours about it.
Elfrid Payton pushing the pace and getting the team into the offense quickly feels real. Jonathon Simmons attacking the basket feels real. Evan Fournier‘s craftiness on the ball is real (we know that already).
Aaron Gordon. . . Aaron Gordon’s leap feels real. At least right now. Maybe that is the biggest mirage of all.
Next: Grades: Orlando Magic 103, San Antonio Spurs 98
None of these may be everything the Magic dream they can be. But as the season has gotten closer, these mirages look more real than ever. It is close to time to believe.