Lessons and trends the Orlando Magic must learn from the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers

Lesson 2: Shooting is king

If the Orlando Magic have another glaring weakness it is their lack of 3-point shooting. It is something everyone within the organization seems to acknowledge. And the Magic have to find a way to become better shooters. Or a more consistent shooting threat.

This season, the Magic ranked 25th in the league shooting 34.3-percent from beyond the arc. Things were even worse in the Playoffs, especially with one of the team’s few good shooters in Evan Fournier dealing with an illness and struggling to get himself going.

Both the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat relied on their shooting to get them to the NBA Finals.

The Heat relied heavily on 3-point shooting to reach the Finals. They finished the season ranked second in 3-point field goal percentage at 37.9-percent.

Their whole offensive system is spaced with shooters allowing playmakers like Goran Dragic and Jimmy Butler to drive. The spacing also allowed Bam Adebayo to work in the high post as a passer as they sent cutters to the basket. The Heat were a symbiotic offense where everyone worked together.

That is more how the Magic want to operate.

The Lakers were not a great 3-point shooting team in the regular season — similar to the Magic, they shot 34.9 percent. They were slightly better in the playoffs shooting 35.9-percent from deep. But they got timely shooting from players like Anthony Davis, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Markieff Morris to pull out in the end.

The Lakers are probably also looking for more shooting this offseason to secure a repeat next season.

Shooting is a constant need throughout the league. The Magic are feeling this more than anyone else. Just about.

Orlando will have to make shooting a focus in its offseason for sure.