Orlando Magic Grades: Atlanta Hawks 116, Orlando Magic 107
By Dan Bennett
The backcourt duo of Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony ensured there was plenty to be positive about for the Orlando Magic but the Atlanta Hawks sent out a warning to their Eastern Conference rivals.
116. 125. Final. 107. 38
Orlando Magic coach Steve Clifford has been pretty optimistic about his team’s outlook throughout training camp. The usually gruff and demanding coach has praised players for their energy and approach.
Optimism was practically overflowing from Magic camp. Even after Friday’s preseason win and Saturday’s practice, Clifford said his team did more good than bad. he seemed fairly pleased with his team’s progress.
It did not take long for that attitude to change.
Following a 116-107 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday in the team’s second preseason game, Clifford expressed his disappointment. He said the team did not play with the intensity or attention to detail they needed. It was the first public sign of trouble — although a pretty expected one with Clifford who usually expresses displeasure early in camp as something of a wake-up call.
But even Clifford could not hide his satisfaction with a few players. More particularly, his two young point guards who seemed ready to lead the team.
Markelle Fultz scored 21 points off 9-for-19 shooting and made both of his 3-point attempts, while also pushing his team forward on offense, picking up four assists. Meanwhile, Cole Anthony scored 16 points off 6-for-10 shooting which included many difficult shots off the dribble and two made threes.
Clifford did not start the two together but opted for the backcourt pairing for much of the game, as they played with most of the starting lineup as the Magic played their regulars to the final minute as they tried to pick up the win. It gave the team plenty of pace and creativity at the guard positions and suggested that the two are capable of playing together when the regular season starts.
This coming season is a big one for Fultz, who will be keen to prove that he is capable of leading a team. Sunday’s performance, albeit only a preseason game, signals there is much more to come from the former number one pick.
He played with plenty of aggression, regularly driving into the paint to finish layups of high difficulty and with plenty of contact. His transition bucket in a busy second quarter for an and-one play was a particular highlight and drew similarities to the sort of buckets we saw him score in college.
But just as pleasing was his shooting.
Markelle Fultz’s jump shot, although still slightly unorthodox, looks much more comfortable and he drained his first three with ease. The second needed a nice bounce off the rim, but these early signs are very positive for the Orlando Magic.
Cole Anthony, too, was a joy to watch. He opened up the second quarter with a fine three and did the same in the fourth from deep. His entire offensive performance in the fourth quarter was superb, making several difficult shots including a fine step-back for two.
Shooting is the main area the Magic needed to improve on. If Anthony can carry this sort of form into the regular season it will be a huge boost to the team. Like Fultz, he showed his pace and ball-handling ability, driving the team forward on offense and playing with lots of confidence.
His slight frame means he is often outmuscled on screens and can lose his man, but overall his defensive play did not hurt the team in a big way.
Results are not all that important in preseason, but this was a highly contested game with Orlando desperately pushing for the win in the fourth quarter. There was plenty to be positive about yet also some concerns that Clifford will be keen to address before the season starts.
Atlanta put together a stunning 19-0 run in the third quarter to jump ahead by 17. Orlando was simply sleeping on defense, not closing down shooters on the perimeter which presented the opposition with several open shots on the wings and in the corners.
The Magic battled hard and got it back close on several occasions. But ultimately it was Atlanta’s strong shooting display that won this game.
It was only preseason so some poor defensive play is to be expected. Nonetheless, it was a stark reminder Atlanta will be a strong contender for the playoffs this coming season primarily because of something the Magic are still lacking — shooting when it really matters.
A. A fantastic display from Markelle Fultz, who was the Orlando Magic’s biggest threat on offense thanks to his energy and quickness. He played with confidence and aggression, surging into the paint to finish layups in traffic while he also looks to be making those all-important strides forward with his jump shot.<p>The Atlanta Hawks did not have an answer for him on defense as he scored 21 points in 31 minutes including two threes. Markelle Fultz said he has spoken to Steve Clifford about giving the point guard position more of a role on offense this coming season and this performance certainly suggests Fultz deserves more responsibility.</p><p>It is not an easy task to stop Trae Young but Markelle Fultz did all he could when guarding him. His size and length at the point guard position are evident and he looks more comfortable dealing with tough defensive assignments than he did when he first arrived in Orlando. He also recorded two steals and five rebounds, showing his potential as a two-way player.</p>. PG. Orlando Magic. MARKELLE FULTZ
A-. This performance from rookie Cole Anthony will have brought plenty of excitement among Magic fans. The 15th pick in the 2020 draft was introduced at the end of the first quarter and brought even more energy to the offense alongside Markelle Fultz. Anthony possesses tremendous pace which the Hawks defense found tough to deal with and he knocked down several shots of high difficulty, as he did in his time at North Carolina.<p>He made two of his four attempts from three, including a magnificent shot from deep in the fourth quarter. Anthony went all out in the fourth, taking it to the Atlanta defense which resulted in several eye-catching buckets such as a rapid drive to the basket and layup and a nice stepback two.</p><p>On defense, there are things to work on, which is to be expected. Anthony is often outmuscled on screens and can be susceptible to losing his man, though his pace means he can recover quickly and get back in time. No one can fault his effort and he plays with plenty of hustle which resulted in two steals during the game.</p>. G. Orlando Magic. COLE ANTHONY
This was not Nikola Vucevic’s finest game. The experienced center still managed to score 14 points and collect 15 rebounds. But his shooting looks a little rusty, having only gone 6 for 17 from the floor and 0 for 5 from three despite getting several good looks from beyond the arc.<p>The 30-year-old also struggled to deal with Clint Capela, who outfought him in the paint to collect four offensive rebounds. Capela was able to keep several plays alive with his rebounding, maintaining control for the Hawks and presenting more chances for his team’s vast array of shooters. That was a trend throughout the weekend.</p><p>Vucevic was visibly frustrated with his play in the third quarter and picked up a technical foul. The team relies on his offensive play and can sacrifice some defensive shortcomings. But tonight, his shot was simply not there and his defense was under par.</p>. C. Orlando Magic. NIKOLA VUCEVIC. C
C-. Michael Carter-Williams has his qualities, but shooting is certainly not one of them. The guard found it very difficult to knock down shots in the first game with Atlanta and the second game was no different. Carter-Williams went 2 for 7 from the field and hindered his side offensively.<p>It was not just the fact he missed the shots, it is how he missed them. Some of his attempts were nowhere near going in the basket, leaving question marks as to why he is being allowed to take them. The worrying thing for the team is that he shot five three-pointers tonight, only making one. Most of the shots he takes are not bad decisions but his shooting form looks really off.</p><p>Carter-Williams redeemed himself some in the second half. His shot was still wayward. But he was able to get after things defensively and help key the Magic in a small comeback to make the game more competitive.</p><div class=. G. Orlando Magic. MICHAEL CARTER-WILLIAMS
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C-
Michael Carter-Williams has his qualities, but shooting is certainly not one of them. The guard found it very difficult to knock down shots in the first game with Atlanta and the second game was no different. Carter-Williams went 2 for 7 from the field and hindered his side offensively.
It was not just the fact he missed the shots, it is how he missed them. Some of his attempts were nowhere near going in the basket, leaving question marks as to why he is being allowed to take them. The worrying thing for the team is that he shot five three-pointers tonight, only making one. Most of the shots he takes are not bad decisions but his shooting form looks really off.
Carter-Williams redeemed himself some in the second half. His shot was still wayward. But he was able to get after things defensively and help key the Magic in a small comeback to make the game more competitive.