The Orlando Magic’s biggest struggle this year has been playing well against quality opponents. The Magic get a big chance with a pair of games this weekend.
The Orlando Magic were as good as they have been in a long time Monday night against the Chicago Bulls.
They flew to the ball, closing out with speed and intensity, forcing rushed shots or drives into the teeth of a waiting defense. The Magic recorded 13 blocks to go with 10 steals, signaling their defensive activity. In a close game, the Bulls managed only 14 points in the fourth quarter, enough for the Magic to pull away and get the win.
Orlando’s 103-95 over Chicago on Monday at the Amway Center was about as good as the team has looked on that end in some time. It was the first time the Orlando Magic held an opponent to worse than 100.0 points per 100 possessions since a Dec. 6 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. As the team has scuffled defensively in that stretch, the Magic have won just twice in eight outings.
Of course, there is a small reason for that too. The Orlando Magic have faced some of the very best teams in the league in that stretch — the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets. Their lone loss to a team with a losing record in that stretch was to the surging Portland Trail Blazers.
Orlando looked good in Monday’s win. But to some extent too, it was just the Bulls. The Magic still have yet to pick up the kind of resume-building win that inspires confidence in their playoff road.
In fact, the only win the Orlando Magic have against a team with a winning record is Friday’s opponent — the Philadelphia 76ers. With a back to back with the 76ers at home followed a quick trip to Milwaukee to face the Bucks, the Magic are again looking to prove their place in the Eastern Conference.
"“It’s important,” Nikola Vucevic said after practice Thursday. “You have to win some of those games. I know they are hard and those teams are really good. For us to get where we want to be, we have to beat some of those teams as well. You need to win against these playoff teams if you want to have a positive record.”"
The Orlando Magic this year are 1-14 against teams with a winning record, tying the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers (both are 1-16) and Chicago Bulls (1-11) and Golden State Warriors (1-12) for the fewest such wins this season. The Magic are the only one of those teams in playoff position at the moment.
According to ESPN.com’s RPI formula, the Magic have played the 10th-toughest schedule in the league to date. And the fifth-toughest schedule among teams that are currently in playoff position.
These are obviously more difficult games. But the extreme split between playing winning and sub.-500 teams is a big reason why the Magic are struggling to separate themselves in the Eastern Conference playoff race (1.5 games up on the Charlotte Hornets as of now).
The schedule will come around for the team — Orlando’s closing kick after the All-Star Break is notably easier and its January through a difficult West Coast road trip will remain difficult on paper. But until then, Orlando has to find a way to compete and win these games to stay in control of their own destiny.
Let alone prove their playoff worthiness.
"“It’s what you want to do when you are an upcoming team,” Markelle Fultz said after practice Thursday. “I believe that we are really good. It’s a good challenge for us to see where we are at. We have to believe we can win both games. Going into these games, it’s all about trying to get a win. It’s not about playing good or anything else, it’s about going and trying to get a win.”"
Coach Steve Clifford would point out that health has played a big factor in how the Magic have played early on in the season. They had some little injuries early in the season that slowed down their development in camp. Then the 11-game absence of Nikola Vucevic hurt the team tremendously.
Still, Orlando has had some fundamental issues in these games.
According to HoopsStats, the Magic have a -1.7 efficiency differential (16th in the league). But against winning teams, the Magic drop to -14.3. The Magic score just 98.3 points per game against teams with winning records.
If there is a small silver lining, while the Magic struggle to pick up wins, that efficiency differential is still 19th in the league. The Magic are still nearly league average in these games. It suggests the team can be better.
Clifford would still point to the team’s defense — the Magic are 12th in the league in defensive rating (106.9 points allowed per 100 possessions) — and the team’s rebounding — 74.5 percent defensive rebound rate (sixth in the league).
The Magic are spending time trying to get themselves back to the level they were last year. To win these kinds of games — Orlando went 17-24 against teams with winning records last year — will take good practice habits and intensity.
That is the hope that Monday’s game will carry over.
"“I thought we took a big step in the right direction especially in the second half,” Clifford said after practice Thursday. “But these are the teams we have to be able to beat. We need to come in here with the right purpose, with the right intensity. If we do, then on a given night, we’re good enough to beat anybody.”"
The Magic have not played completely to the level they certainly expected. At some point, they will need these marquee wins.
To get them, the Magic will have to reinforce their identity and play to their ability. And that is the real work to get the reward the team wants to solidify that playoff positioning.