The Orlando Magic failed to answer their questions for the second quarter
How much more responsibility will Aaron Gordon receive?
If there was one thing that got definitively shown in the second quarter of the season, it was Aaron Gordon’s emergence. And now that the season has become more about the future, the rest of the season is very much about Gordon and his development.
I dug in more to Gordon’s second quarter of the season when I named him the team’s Second Quarter MVP. That mark was very deserved.
He averaged 21.7 points per game in the second quarter of the season, shooting 45.6 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc. He definitely started to come back down to earth with his shooting. But it was clear he was more comfortable and assertive trying to score.
His usage rate followed. Gordon posted a 20.6 percent usage rate in the first quarter of the season, averaging 12.2 field goal attempts per game. In the second quarter, he had a 26.3 percent usage rate and 17.5 field goal attempts per game.
The next step for Gordon is learning how to deal with the extra attention he now receives as one of the team’s best players. And then becoming more efficient with his shot selection and when he attacks.
It is a fair criticism of Gordon that he tries too hard to attack and “play the star” as it were. He forces his drives at times. He does not always play with the pass.
But those are natural errors a budding star makes.the rest of this season for him and the Magic will be spent learning those lessons and helping Gordon grow more as a player.
The answer to this question was Gordon can take on a lot more responsibility. He can become this team’s budding star.