The Orlando Magic’s fourth quarter of the season was a disappointing and frustrating one. Through it all, D.J. Augustin put in some good work to stand out.
The Orlando Magic’s season was a marathon that seemed incapable of ending. It would end of course. Every schedule eventually winds to a conclusion. And the Magic were seemingly limping to the end.
Injuries were as much a part of the season as anything else. It remained a part of the season in the final 20-plus games. They were not going anywhere. And without much to play for, the Magic were kind of playing out the string.
There was very little that was particularly memorable about the final 21 games. It just seemed like the Magic wanted to get it done.
The wins were few in the final quarter of the season. And there was little in the way of consistency either. Aaron Gordon led the team in scoring yet again but was hardly efficient — 16.4 points per game on 40.7 percent shooting. Jonathon Simmons provided some highlight moments but played in only nine games before a wrist injury ended his season.
What deserves some recognition and appreciation in the final quarter of the season was the ability to show up every day and put in good work, keeping things stable through a difficult and frustrating season. Showing up every day and doing your job goes a long way.
And that is why the MVP for the fourth quarter of the Magic’s season is someone who simply showed up every game to end the season and quietly put together a solid run of play. He put up a solid run of play throughout the year, actually. He just did his work over and over again.
D.J. Augustin was never the guy who noticeably impacted the game. He just solidly put in work time and time again.
In the final 21 games, Augustin averaged 13.2 points per game, shooting 49.2 percent from the floor and 43.2 percent from beyond the arc. He added 5.0 assists per game. It is safe to say, those are more than what anyone expected from Augustin.
And it was a great way for the veteran guard to end what was a bounce-back season for him after struggling in his first year in Orlando. He took advantage of staying in one place for two full seasons for the first time in his career since 2011 and 2012.
For the whole season, Augustin averaged 10.2 points per game while shooting a 55.7 percent effective field goal percentage. He made 41.9 percent of his 3-pointers, the best on the Magic all year. Augustin added 3.8 assists per game for good measure.
He clearly stepped up his game as a starter — 11.7 points per game, 5.0 assists per game and 42.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc. And he clearly stepped up his game when the team traded Elfrid Payton to the Phoenix Suns.
No one will confuse Augustin for a long-term solution at point guard. He has rarely put together back to back good years. Not like the one he had for the Magic this year. In all likelihood, the Magic will either draft or search for a replacement. At least for someone who will challenge for his spot in the rotation and create competition at point guard.
But it was also abundantly clear the Magic do not need to go looking for someone to fill those backup minutes anymore either. It felt like the Magic signed Shelvin Mack last summer more to compete for backup point guard minutes than for his versatility. And Shelvin Mack was solid all year too.
Augustin’s strong close to the season was really more about what he brought to the table all year. Something the Magic desperately needed anyway — consistency.
In the final 21 games, Augustin scored fewer than 10 points just nine times. Three of those were in the final three games of the season. He never scored fewer than six points. That made Augustin an always reliable option offensively. He was someone the Magic could count on to make an open shot and make the right play. That still goes a long way.
Of course, the fact Augustin can be spoken of as the team’s MVP in any portion of the season is probably a sign of just how wrong things went.
That is not a negative statement about Augustin or his play. That is a recognition of Augustin’s limitations and his main role. He is supposed to be a supporting character on the team, not a guy who goes to the front.
D.J. Augustin never “took over” games or did anything beyond his role and what coach Frank Vogel asked him to do throughout the last quarter of the season. He was just solid. Augustin did what the team asked of him and really nothing more.
In a season where players seemed ill-fitted and struggled to step up consistently when their number was called or when injuries hit, Augustin’s consistency quietly stood out. It was so good, his production became expected. It was no longer extraordinary for him to score 15 points and hit a few 3-pointers. that is just what he did.
That is what was amazing about Augustin throughout the year. Especially at the end of the season.
He was a steady rock in a turbulent sea throughout the season. Maybe he was not enough to bring others up along for the ride with him. But that was never what anyone asked of him.
Next: Orlando Magic players unsure where season went wrong
Augustin’s efforts this year were easy to look past. But they were certainly not unappreciated.