What still concerns you about the Orlando Magic? What do you think will not last this year?
Scricca: My two main concerns are rebounding and attacking the rim. This team is near the bottom of the league in the frequency of shot attempts at the basket, which is a major red flag for how efficient this team will be on offense when threes stop falling.
They are also in the NBA’s bottom three in defensive rebounding. Considering how important defensive rebounds are for transition opportunities and how important transition opportunities are for the Magic’s offense, that will have to improve there somehow. Hopefully, Elfrid Payton provides a boost in both of those categories.
Holmes: Teams are still getting to the basket a little too easily. The Orlando Magic are certainly active defensively and really are thriving with deflections and steals. But straight line drives are still a weakness. Also giving up way too many offensive boards. The team has survived this for the most part so far due to the efficient shooting and taking care of the ball. But we know the shooting will not be this high forever, and the Magic will have games where they turn the ball over. Orlando needs to make sure its rebounding falls in line with turnovers and shooting. Otherwise, it will cost the team.
Treadway: Two major areas: Giving up points in the paint and rebounding. The perimeter defense for the Orlando Magic this year has been pretty good for the most part, but they are letting too many drives and cuts to the paint for easy finishes happen. A major worry for the defense if/when the shooting starts to cool down. Rebounding is also hurting the team giving opponents lots of second- chance points and missing out on fast break opportunities.
Chen: The team currently is holding opponents to the second-lowest 3-point percentage (31.6 percent) in the league. But somehow it does not feel like that should be the case. The Magic’s defense, in general, has been okay, but it feels like the low 3-point percentage against has been more a product of opponents just missing shots rather than great contesting on the Magic’s part.
The season is still young enough that one or two games can really throw off the stats. I feel like in the San Antonio Spurs and Cleveland Cavaliers games, the opponents just missed shots that they normally make. If opponents start making shots at the rate they’re supposed to when playing the Magic, that’s going to eat at the Magic’s margin for error.
Rossman-Reich: I am very concerned about the team’s defense. They rank really well right now — sixth in the league in defensive rating. But it sure feels like that is covering up for a lot of flaws. Flaws like the most points allowed in the paint per game. Flaws like giving up nearly a 25-percent offensive rebound rate.
The team still is trying to learn the best way to communicate and work together through their switching scheme. There are plenty of occasions where players are pointing at an open man expecting someone else to pick him up. The team is not quite together yet. And eventually the open 3-pointers they tend to give up will fall against them. Orlando has to get its defense right.