Eyes turn to Jonathan Isaac as the Orlando Magic’s season prepares to resume

The Orlando Magic are hoping to have Jonathan Isaac ready to play to see their young core once again compete at one of the highest levels.

The NBA has its return date.

Everyone around the league now has a target reach. There will be a month of training camp and getting back into basketball and playing shape and then a few weeks at Disney to get acclimated.

July 31 cannot come soon enough for both players and fans.

Every team will need time to get back onto the court and back into rhythm. But the long delay has opened some new doors. Every team is wondering a lot about whether players they thought were done for the season could return.

Three months is a long time. And usually, at this time of the year, teams out of the Playoffs are already beginning their summer training. There is a chance for a lot of players with season-ending injuries to get a second chance at the 2020 season.

For the Orlando Magic, both Al-Farouq Aminu and Jonathan Isaac could see a return to play from their knee injuries suffered before the midpoint of the season.

For Magic fans, Jonathan Isaac’s potential return is the most tantalizing. The thing everyone has been waiting for to give the season a bit more meaning in his development.

It is not clear whether Isaac is going to be ready to play. Isaac told Howard Beck of The Full 48 that he is hopeful he will be able to play, but he is taking his rehab one day at a time. His left leg is still catching up in strength to his right leg as he recovers from his knee injury.

But it is clear and important to remember that Isaac is going to be crucial for any chance of competing in the playoffs.

It will be a tall order for the Magic to win in the playoffs. But only Isaac can help them climb that mountain.

Jonathan Isaac gives Orlando Magic defensive identity

When healthy, the Orlando Magic have a defensive identity that is centered around Jonathan Isaac. But once he went out with injury, the team slipped defensively.

Isaac was an All-defensive Team candidate, averaging 2.5 blocks and 1.6 steals per game while having a 1.9 defensive win share rate.

The Magic had a 106.3 defensive rating through Jan. 1, 11th in the league. After Isaac got hurt on Jan. 1, the Magic had an 111.3 defensive rating, 16th in the league. That significant slip is part of why the Magic have struggled so much this year. Orlando just has not played with the same defensive intensity.

Losing Isaac’s defensive playmaking is certainly part of the equation.

Isaac’s best attribute on the defensive end is the havoc he creates. He uses his length and athleticism to be able to defend the rim while being active in the passing lanes. This havoc allows Orlando to become one of the best defensive teams in the league.

With Isaac out, teams have been able to get to and finish around the rim without having to worry about a shot blocker. Isaac is the only player that creates the intensity that forces offenses to crisper with their sets.

Jonathan Isaac possesses an elite defensive skill that creates a sense of security that has not been there since Dwight Howard. He is able to cover so much ground and seemingly cover multiple players at the same time. This recovery helps him blow up his opponent’s possessions.

It allows players to play aggressive defense knowing that they will have someone like Isaac that will be there to cover their mistake.

A perfect example would be Nikola Vucevic. With Isaac in the line-up, Vucevic would be able to show on drivers knowing Isaac would be on the weak side, but without him, Vucevic often finds himself in the middle with no help.

The Magic have tended to use Vucevic in drop coverages to help protect him and contain drivers. But when Vucevic gets beat, he does not have the speed to recover. Nor does he have the speed to show and cut off ball handlers earlier.

With Isaac in the game, Vucevic can be a bit more aggressive and press up to prevent dribble penetration because he knows Isaac is back there to help. That trust helps everyone become a little bit more aggressive.

And that is something the Magic have missed.

Orlando Magic’s defense slipping

Jonathan Isaac’s absence has been noticed as the Orlando Magic’s defense continued to slip. Orlando’s surge after the All-Star Break was a result of the team’s offense more than the defense. The team needed to get back to its defensive identity.

The Magic never really got their defense back under control.

This trend continued up until the season was paused, and the Magic had the best offense in the league since the all-star break posting 117.8 points per 100 possessions. But there is no certainty that the offense will continue to play at that level.

In that same time period after the All-Star Break, the Magic fell to 115.9 points allowed per 100 possessions, the fourth-worst mark in the league after the break. The Magic’s supremely good offense hid some major defensive problems.

Both the defense and the offense are likely to return closer to their means. It was already happening during the team’s road trip and win streak.

Still, the lack of defensive playmaking is evident.

In this play, Jonathan Isaac’s presence would have allowed Nikola Vucevic to challenge D’Angelo Russell, knowing he would have had Isaac protecting the rim on the weak side. Instead, Vucevic was backpedaling and dropping too deep, giving up space for Russell to hit the floater.

Isaac’s presence and another shot blocker gives him the ability to be more aggressive with his line, a vital step for him defensively against strong point guard.

This type of defensive breakdown has become common as Isaac has been out of the lineup. Without Isaac in the line-up, the weaknesses and holes in their defense have been exposed.

This was a game that D’Angelo Russell scored 28 points. He continuously attacked a retreating Vucevic and scored easily in the midrange. This game is an example of Orlando winning with their offense as the final score was 136-125.

This has become the norm for the Magic as of late. But with their inconsistencies this season, it is going to be important for Isaac to return to revive their defense.

Return to identity when the Orlando Magic’s season resumes

Once the season returns, the Magic have to rely on their defense to compete. That goes without saying for this group. Nobody was sure how long the offense would last, and Orlando was not playing the best the league has to offer.

Now in the campus setting at Disney, the Magic will only be playing the best. They have to be sharp to handle what will be a more difficult schedule.

To do anything serious though, the Magic need their defensive playmaker in Jonathan Isaac back. Otherwise, the Magic will have a quick exit. The difference can be seen when Isaac does and doesn’t play. The Magic are better with him on the floor and are more dangerous.

Although it is clear that Isaac has been missed, the Magic need him ready for when the season resumes if they want any chance of competing in the playoffs. That will help the team return to its solid identity.

There is still no sense of whether Isaac will be ready to play. He is still working his way back and the Magic are not about to rush him before he can return.

But undoubtedly, Orlando is better with Isaac. And if they want to make noise at Disney, they will need Isaac to right themselves.