The Orlando Magic fell apart in the fourth quarter against the Toronto Raptors. But that was not the first time they struggled. A troubling trend is growing.
Shelvin Mack cut past the defense with a sudden burst of energy. The lane was opening up for him and he saw the rim in his sights.
In a second unit with few shot creators, Shelvin Mack has increasingly taken on this role — for better and for worse. It is not ideal for him, but the team needs something. And the team needs some kind of creator at this moment.
Mack closed in on the rim and was ready to make a layup. But the Toronto Raptors had closed in on him. Seemingly surrounding him with Lucas Nogueira menacing at the rim. The slightest variation from Mack was enough to throw off his shot.
And so it seemed to go with almost every fourth-quarter shot attempt.
The Orlando Magic missed their first 11 shots in the fourth quarter, seeing an eight-point lead to start the quarter turn into a four-point deficit. The Magic went nearly 7.5 minutes without a field goal. And with few free throw attempts in the game — just five total — there was no reprieve.
Orlando’s offense went into the tank. A mix of missed layups and drives like the one Shelvin Mack had, a few missed putbacks from Bismack Biyombo and aimless dribbling leading to late-shot clock heaves. It was all the ingredients of bad offense that led to a 93-86 defeat to the Raptors at the Amway Center on Tuesday.
"“We just missed some shots we usually make,” Mack said. “I missed a few layups. They were able to get out and Kyle Lowry made some threes. We weren’t able to get stops.”"
And the unfortunate part for the Magic is that these patterns are not isolated to this game. They are a growing trend for the team of late.
Orlando ended the game shooting 41.1 percent from the floor and 9 for 25 from beyond the arc. But the fourth quarter stood out. There Orlando lost its eight-point lead and completely fell apart offensively.
The Magic scored 10 total points on 3-for-19 shooting. The Magic gave up 9-for-17 shooting to the hard-charging Raptors. But it was less important what they were doing. Making a few more shots might have given the Magic the confidence they needed to get the stops they were getting throughout the game. Orlando lost its defensive edge.
This trend has been something continual for some time. Orlando has failed to score 90 points in five of its last seven games. In the last seven games, the Magic are posting a 43.2 percent field goal percentage and an abysmal 95.6 offensive rating.
The Magic offense is struggling. And those struggles came to the forefront again as the Magic had a chance to close the game for a win.
"“It’s about decision making and execution, whether it’s spacing or working to get open, screening to get teammates open and then making good decisions with whatever the defense throws at you,” coach Frank Vogel said. “If you’re getting pressured you got to move the ball on. If you’re getting to the rim and you don’t have a clean look at the rim, you got to throw it out and you got to make better decisions. It’s just about execution."
Vogel said the team got good looks in the fourth quarter at least early on. But the shots were not falling or the defense was causing little adjustments.
Vogel said the same thing about much of the Orlando Magic’s difficult loss to the Boston Celtics on Friday too. In that game, second-chance points and turnovers were the main culprits for the defeat. Vogel said he believed the Magic even tried to overpass, leading to mistakes and some bad shot selection.
Orlando Magic
That still does not act as an excuse. At this point, no one seems to be questioning the Magic’s effort or desire to win. It just comes down to pure execution. And even getting Aaron Gordon and his scoring back — with the attention it merits — was enough to loosen up the offense when things mattered.
"“We’ve just got to execute and not get sped up and keep our composure,” Aaron Gordon said. “As a unit, we have to put the ball through the basket.”"
The Magic were always going to be an offensively challenged team. Their shooting has come and gone throughout the season. As things stand now, the Magic have the 25th best offense in the league, scoring 103.7 points per 100 possessions.
No one is expecting a strong offensive performance every night. But the fight to get to 90 points is a little much. Especially in a league that is trending up so much offensively.
Orlando lacks a creator, specifically with that second unit. It is not surprising to see that group struggle and see the team go through long scoring droughts. Still, the Magic gave up an opportunity to win. And it did not matter who was in the game — reserves or starters.
"“It’s just tough,” Mack said. “One thing that’s kind of tough is getting used to playing with everybody consistently. It’s not every that there’s a new guy in the lineup, but it’s not an excuse. It just means that we have to continue to trust each other more and just work to get a better shot. Go from good to great.”"
There has been a lot of shifting and turnover in the lineup of late. Maybe that has knocked the team out of rhythm. But that does not fully explain the team’s penchant for missing open jumpers. Or even the lack of movement at times.
The Magic have struggled offensively. And things seem to be getting worse.
Next: Grades: Toronto Raptors 93, Orlando Magic 86
For a team with a lot of problems, this is another one to add to the bunch as the season comes to a close.