Jonathan Isaac has started to mature and gain confidence just as the Orlando Magic have turned to make their Playoff run.
Jonathan Isaac has had a lot of low moments in the early part of his NBA career.
Injuries took away his rookie year, limiting him to 27 games. He returned and was simply out there to provide some form of energy and defensive intensity. He would get a summer to get healthy and improve on his skills before jumping back onto the team in his second year — his first real run through a NBA season.
Another sprained ankle in November cost Jonathan Isaac six games. The concerns about his health began to grow again.
There were questions about fragility with his long body. The Orlando Magic drafted him as a project with the sixth overall pick. He was never going to step in and immediately be the star player the Magic wanted. His injury his rookie year only slowed that process and pushed his development back another year.
The injury earlier this season was a minor setback. But in the context of his larger injury history, was a source of concern.
This was a player looking for some confidence and comfort on the floor. He struggled to get enough time to fully acclimate to the NBA’s speed. And no one knew when it would come.
The early season injury allowed for some doubt to creep in. Isaac told Gabriel Stovall for the Orlando Sentinel that early ankle injury created some doubt in himself.
He relied heavily on his faith to get him through the first injury. Another roadblock would shake anyone.
Eventually, it would come. Isaac was making generally positive contributions without making much of an overall impact. He stayed out of the way offensively and made plays defensively. But it was easy to see the potential.
Who knew when it would all come together?
Patience paying off
That time is now. The Magic’s patience with Isaac is paying off. He is starting to put all those pieces of his game together — dominating defensively with 2.6 blocks and 1.3 steals per game in his last eight games. And, now scoring more effectively — 13.9 points per game in that same time period.
Things all of a sudden clicked for Isaac. His teammates trust him more clearly now and Isaac is beginning to show all the potential and talent that made him such a sought-after draft pick.
It was never a guarantee. And his potential and what he can become is still to be determined.
Isaac’s return from that early-season injury was slow. His confidence was never fully there. He would pass up open shots and be little involved in the offense. He took more than 10 shots in just three games from Nov. 14 until Dec. 31 (a span of 22 games).
Isaac was not overly involved and the Magic’s defense was not better with him in on the floor. The team had a 107.5 defensive rating with him on the floor, better than the team’s 109.1 season rating, but still among the worst for rotation players.
Isaac was kind of just there. It was no surprise when the Rising Stars Challenge passed over him. Isaac had not put up a ton of numbers in a sophomore draft class that features some future stars. Isaac was behind the curve.
The Magic were fine with that. They knew he was a project and needed room to grow. There was work going on in the background. He would occasionally show flashes of his defensive potential. His long arms helping him make up space or make impossible plays.
It rarely came together. Patience was the word of the day when it came to him.
This being his essentially rookie year, it was likely going to be a long slog waiting for him to find his fit in the NBA. It was about him gaining confidence and getting comfortable.
Putting the pieces together
That process began slowly a few weeks ago. His defensive confidence started rising and his willingness to take shots became more and more.
Isaac’s teammates kept feeding him the ball and kept giving him the trust his talent might warrant. It was starting to look like Isaac was a bit underused.
That is looking more prescient now.
Isaac has continued to blossom and grow, pouring in performances that approach if not match his career high. At the very least, this is by far the best stretch in Isaac’s short career. It has everyone buzzing about his future and potential for growth.
His scoring average has raised to 9.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Those numbers are only getting better and increasing with each stellar performance.
That has gotten Isaac more involved.
Orlando Magic
He has taken 11.0 field goal attempts per game and shot 45.5 percent in averaging that 13.9 points per game during the last eight games (since Jan. 29).
Defensively, the Magic have a 95.9 defensive rating with Isaac on the floor. That is the best mark for any starter and trails only Isaiah Briscoe and Wesley Iwundu for the best mark on the team among rotation players.
Isaac is willing and is challenging more shots at the rim, becoming a real rim protector for the team. For the season, opponents are shooting 56.6 percent at the rim against Isaac, the best mark of any non-center and better than Mohamed Bamba. In the last eight games, it drops to 50.0 percent at the rim.
Impact beyond the numbers
That impact goes beyond the numbers.
It is the confidence he has now on the floor. He is willing to take shots when the ball swings to him when perhaps he was not before.
Defensively he is swarming the basketball, making blocks at the rim the team has not really seen consistently from any position. John Collins is probably still looking over his shoulder for Jonathan Isaac.
The Magic had plenty of chances where they could have tried to scale back Isaac or pushed him into a smaller role. Teams still largely ignore Isaac on the perimeter. Defenses want him to shoot.
Right now, Isaac is making them pay.
The Magic put him in a position where he could continue to get major minutes and find a way to contribute. They trusted Isaac that he would only make the plays he was comfortable with. Eventually through experience that confidence and comfort would come.
It is here now and Isaac is becoming a weapon the Magic and opponents can no longer ignore.