Orlando Magic see how good they can be in season opener

The Orlando Magic got glimpses of the explosive, deadly team they can be in their season-opening win. Now comes the work to make that consistent.

Coach Steve Clifford seemed at ease in the pregame press conference.

There was no data to pour over or really much of anything to go on. The preseason is the preseason and has its value, as does practice. But nothing informs a coach about his team as much as a game. A real game.

Like fans, he was anxious to watch the Orlando Magic’s season opener too. He wanted to know what his team would look like. That would tell him what the team needed to work on and where they would begin to grow. The season, after all, is about progress. Nobody comes out the first game looking fully formed.

After his team dispatched the Cleveland Cavaliers 94-85 at the Amway Center on Wednesday, he certainly saw a lot that was promising. He also saw a lot his team needs to work on.

For a first game, the Magic showed exactly what they have to work on and just how good they can be.

"“I think our defense when it was set, we played good defense,” Nikola Vucevic said after Wednesday’s game. “We had a tough time scoring. Offensively, when we move the ball and play the right way and get to the second and third action, we were able to score and get good looks. We had period of times where went away from it. Our transition defense wasn’t always good. I know we kept letting them come back into the game. It’s important to stay consistent with that.”"

The Magic are hardly ready to play playoff basketball. Nobody at this stage of the season is. Instead, it is the glimpses of what this team can be that should give confidence.

Orlando Magic

It was watching Jonathan Isaac cap off a 23-5 run in the second quarter with a block at the rim and then a very large Euro step for a layup. Or Markelle Fultz throwing a behind the back pass to Mohamed Bamba right in his hands for an easy finish. Or Markelle Fultz and Nikola Vucevic trapping the young Darius Garland along the sideline to force a turnover.

Even the simple things, like the possessions with solid ball movement or the defense stepping up to contest a shot or stepping into the passing lane for a steal, were brilliant. It was easy to see just how strong this Magic defense can be and how deadly it can be.

Orlando responded to every Cleveland run throughout the game. A lackluster third quarter gave way to a timeout as the Magic’s lead evaporated. But they quickly pushed the lead back out with a quick 8-1 burst.

Even seeing Aaron Gordon and Jonathan Isaac struggle with some foul trouble and Al-Farouq Aminu step in and still give the team some defensive heft were all positive signs of how dangerous the Magic can be.

The team was experimenting and looking for the right combinations. And it seemed like they could turn anywhere to find it, getting energy and defensive commitment to keep the Cavaliers at arm’s length.

"“We have a ton of players on this team who can go,” Aaron Gordon said after Wednesday’s game. “I think that’s a big component of this team. We’ve got a lot of two-way players and we’ve got a lot of depth on this team. it’s good knowing that you have talent all around you.”"

It was the first game and there were plenty of things to clean up. Clifford would single out the rebounding and turnovers again as areas the team needs to improve. He lamented the team’s overall sloppy play for long stretches.

Orlando saw a 20-point lead dwindle to single digits. The Magic had a 15-point lead with two minutes to go and it shrunk to six on some lax 3-point defense.

The Magic are trying to build a defensive identity to be sure. The 37.1 percent shooting they gave up would suggest that they were pretty good at getting stops.

But there is still a lot of work to do as the competition ramps up, teams get tape and dive into the season. Nobody is mistaking this as anything more than a first step.

"“Really after the first quarter, our defense was fine. It was our offense,” Clifford said after Wednesday’s game. “Our offense also hurt our defense. Look they had [85]. We have a chance to be great on defense. It’s going to be a question of how we grow offensively. That’s going to be the key to the team.”"

The Magic themselves shot only 43 percent from the floor and 9 for 30 from beyond the arc. There is still a lot to clean up.

The aforementioned turnovers were a big part of it. The team looked sloppy at times and went away from the ball movement and interior touches the team needs to be successful. The Magic would go long stretches without a consistent attack.

Then again, the Magic were able to pick things up when it had to. The team had 24 assists on 37 field goal makes and 14 fast-break points, better than the team’s average last year. Orlando could still use to improve both as the games move on.

In the big moments in the second quarter when the Magic took control of the game, it was their defense leading the charge. It helped create so much offense.

Orlando was dominating and it felt like there was no way for the Cavaliers to come back with a defense swarming and stopping them at every turn.

"“There are going to be times that we look back at this and tell us this is how we have to play,” Terrence Ross said after Wednesday’s game. “Inside-out, defensive team, scrappy. There are still things we have to work on. This can be a benchmark for us.”"

That was all this opening game was in the end. A benchmark and a beginning.

The team can see where it is at now. It can see how good it can be and how difficult it will be to maintain that level. There are traps for the team to fall in. The Cavaliers are far from the toughest test the Magic will face.

Clifford though has an idea of where his team is and where they must grow next. The anxiety of watching the team’s first game when it counts is gone. The Magic passed that first test.

He and the rest of the world could see how deadly they can be. Now comes the work of getting there consistently.