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2018-19 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Khem Birch

By Philip Rossman-Reich

ORLANDO, FL - FEBRUARY 14: Khem Birch #24 of the Orlando Magic rebounds the ball against the Charlotte Hornets on February 14, 2019 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - FEBRUARY 14: Khem Birch #24 of the Orlando Magic rebounds the ball against the Charlotte Hornets on February 14, 2019 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Khem Birch, Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets
ORLANDO, FL – JANUARY 13: Khem Birch #24 of the Orlando Magic shoots the ball against the Houston Rockets on January 13, 2019 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Good and the Bad

Per Game Table
Season G MP FG% FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK PTS
2018-19 50 12.9 .603 .699 1.6 2.2 3.8 0.8 0.4 0.6 4.8
Career 92 13.3 .574 .694 1.6 2.4 4.0 0.8 0.4 0.5 4.5

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/14/2019.

At the end of the 2018 season, Khem Birch endeared himself to fans with his energy and defense. He was one of the few bright spots at the tail end of a season that was lost a long time ago.

Birch brought energy and defense. He had something to prove. And he proved a lot of that. At the very least, Birch should have been a backup center somewhere. The Magic were going to be a tough place for him to get that.

Birch waited on the bench. He played in just seven games in the team’s first 40 games and just 7.8 minutes per game in those minutes. Birch was relegated to the deep bench with really only one game of meaningful minutes — when Mohamed Bamba was suspended against the Dallas Mavericks in December.

When Bamba got hurt, Birch’s minutes began to skyrocket. And so did his impact. He picked up right where he left off.

From Jan. 10 to the end of the season, Birch played in 33 games, averaging 15.5 minutes per game. It is a small coincidence the team went 23-10 to make its playoff push. Birch’s numbers are always modest — 6.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in that stretch to end the season.

His impact though was pretty clear.

Related Story. 2019 Orlando Magic Player Outlook: Khem Birch. light

With Birch on the floor, the Magic had a +2.8 net rating including a robust 102.0 defensive rating. After Jan. 10, the Magic had a +5.1 net rating with a 101.1 defensive rating. Only Isaiah Briscoe and Wesley Iwundu had a higher on-court defensive rating during that time.

That is a testament to how strong the team’s bench unit was defensively at the end of the season.

Not all of it can be or should be credited to Birch at the end of the day. But comparing his numbers to Bamba — for the season, the Magic had a 108.3 defensive rating with him on the floor — it is clear to see a difference.

Some of that had to do with the Magic finding their rotations and refining combinations that worked. Bamba could have turned the corner.

But Birch provided a stability that a rookie probably lacks. Birch might be in his second year, but he is a longtime professional player. He played with consistency and within himself, making an impact in the minutes he was given.

Birch proved again if you give him minutes, he will make the most of them.