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Orlando Magic First Quarter Review: The Magic’s 5 best lineups

By Philip Rossman-Reich

The Orlando Magic have struggled in their record, but Jamahl Mosley has some very successful lineups he can use to soften that blow. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports
The Orlando Magic have struggled in their record, but Jamahl Mosley has some very successful lineups he can use to soften that blow. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports /
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Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic
Cole Anthony has helped the Orlando Magic tie closer together as the team prepares for its season. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports /

Orlando Magic’s top 5 lineups

The Starters

Cole Anthony/Jalen Suggs/Franz Wagner/Wendell Carter/Mo Bamba

163 minutes (15 games) – +11.4 net rating (105.6/94.1)

No group has made a bigger impact for the Orlando Magic than its starting lineup this year.

If the Magic are judging this season based on what they could be rather than their record, seeing their five best players working well together and making such a clear positive impact is a good sign that the team has some talented players and something they can build with.

The philosophy that is throughout the NBA these days that teams should just play their five best players at all times certainly made this group possible. And Wendell Carter’s defensive versatility and shooting development from deep have made this group work.

Every time it felt like the floor was going to drop on this group, they seemed to hang on and give the team a solid base to keep building — even if it slowed down from its big early-season push.

If anything, the Magic need to find ways to play this group more than the 10.9 minutes per game they worked together during the first quarter of the season.

Some context to help with how good this group was compared to the rest of the league:

Among lineups that played at least 100 minutes before Nov. 28, the Magic’s starting lineup ranked fourth in the entire league. The Magic’s starting lineup also played more minutes than any of the three lineups ahead of them.

This does not feel like something without some weight behind it. The group scrambles well defensively especially and sets up Cole Anthony well off the dribble for his shot.

What is incredible is that the spacing would seemingly be poor with the two bigs and the lack of shooting — especially from Jalen Suggs on the perimeter to this point. But the Magic have made it work. And there is no reason at this point to believe the team should go away from it — even when players begin to get back from injury.

Orlando should always be able to turn to this group this year. Even if this becomes a secondary lineup in the near future once Suggs and the other injured players return.