3 things the Orlando Magic learned in the season’s first quarter
By Jacob Warfle
What the Orlando Magic have learned
Cole Anthony is the real deal
It is clear Cole Anthony has been the MVP for the Orlando Magic so far this season.
Building up his strong finish a year ago, Anthony has elevated his play to a new level. He is averaging 19.6 points, 5.7 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game.
He has improved in just about every statistical category, most importantly in his shooting percentages. He is shooting 42.1-percent from the field and 34.5-percent from three.
There is still room to improve that efficiency even more. But this growth is great to see.
Coming into the season, many speculated how the Magic’s crowded backcourt would shake out. Anthony has clearly separated himself from the rest.
He is leading the team in minutes with 34 per game and has the team’s highest usage rate at 26.5-percent.
The Magic coaching staff are trusting Anthony with primary playmaking duties and the results are generally positive. The team clearly struggles when Anthony is off the floor and the offense almost goes stagnant.
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Just looking at Anthony’s individual game, he has played more like the five-star second-overall recruit in the class of 2019 than the late-lottery selection he ended up becoming.
This was part of the draw and why he was a home run selection for the Magic. Anthony has always had all-star upside, teams were just focusing on what he cannot do, rather than what he can do. Especially after an injury-filled season at North Carolina.
It is now obvious Anthony is an elite shot-maker. He takes and makes difficult shots on a nightly basis.
He is a fantastic rebounder for his size at his position, shown most notably by his per-game rebounding numbers.
And he is a different type of attacker and playmaker. Anthony attacks downhill relentlessly and constantly puts pressure on the defense at all three levels.
It will be interesting watching how the rest of the season plays out for Cole Anthony, but as it stands right now, the Magic need to be rethinking their rebuilding plan.
Anthony was once just another prospect in the mix for the Magic. But now it looks like he could be the key building piece of the future.