Five issues the Orlando Magic need to fix

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Jusuf Nurkic, Portland Trail Blazers, Orlando Magic

PORTLAND, OR – NOVEMBER 15: Jusuf Nurkic #27 of the Portland Trail Blazers grabs the rebound against the Orlando Magic on November 15, 2017 at the Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Rebounding

Like the defense, the rebounding issues do not fall on one player.

Orlando’s big men are not adept on the glass, but far too often do other forwards and guards fail to box out their man. Even Aaron Gordon, who is having his best season as a pro has consistently allowed second-chance points.

At the moment, the Magic are the second-worst team in defensive rebounding percentage at 75.1 percent. Opposing offenses are crashing the offensive glass and are getting easy second-chance buckets. Orlando has allowed 13.8 second-chance points per game, and are tied with the Toronto Raptors for the fourth-worst mark in the NBA.

To continue with the trend, the Magic are giving teams 11.1 extra possessions per game. In the course of 48 minutes that will hurt even the best team’s chances of winning.

Nikola Vucevic (9.2 per game, more in line with his career averages but still the just the third year he has averaged less than 10 rebounds per game) and Aaron Gordon (a career-high 8.1 rebounds per game) are the only two players averaging more than five per game.

Again, rebounding comes down to effort. Orlando needs to make it a priority for to keep teams off the glass or it will be impossible to stay in ball games.

It will take a team effort to do so.