Orlando Magic deserve the credit for staying and keeping their guys ready

The Orlando Magic’s frustrating run through injuries and COVID absences is coming closer to an end.

With the team returning from its three-game road trip, players who were previously out can now more easily rejoin the team.

The first batch of 10-day contracts that were signed on Dec. 17 will expire after Sunday’s game against the Miami Heat. The Magic will almost certainly hope they will be able to bring players back and no longer need all the emergency signings that helped them get through this week.

So far though, Orlando has had only two players officially come off health and safety protocols. R.J. Hampton will be available for Sunday’s game against the Heat. Moritz Wagner has cleared health and safety protocols but is still getting back to the court.

The other four players previously in health and safety protocols are still out as of Sunday morning. And Chuma Okeke and B.J. Johnson were added to health and safety protocols Sunday.

The team is not through the woods quite yet.

Still, the last week of play for the Magic has been surprisingly encouraging. The team played well in all four games with strong moments that kept the team competitive and in the hunt. On top of that, the Magic won two of those games.

The Orlando Magic could have faltered and stopped during a run of COVID absences, instead the coaching staff deserves credit for keeping the team together and keeping the team growing.

There was a new energy about the team. Certainly, the desire from players on 10-day contracts eager to show their talent and fit into the team helped with that.

But the Magic were a different team. A team that hued closer toward the identity and the culture they want to build.

There has been plenty to criticize and plenty of frustration for this Magic team, even in a season everyone understood would have some difficulties, but this past week was certainly a sign things are heading in the right direction.

Faced with a ton of adversity, the Magic were able to insert new players seamlessly into what they were trying to do. The players they signed have all largely stepped up with good moments that had some fans asking if they could be swapped into two-way contracts moving forward.

More importantly, the Magic got back to their basics and looked like a better team. Their defense improved and they won games.

The whole team — the coaching staff, the new players, the remaining players — deserve credit for staying ready and playing hard and so seamlessly during this time. It is a good sign the Magic are building their culture the right way and working toward that long-term goal beyond the day-to-day of these games.

"“This is the true meaning of being able to stay ready,” coach Jamahl Mosley said after Wednesday’s win over the Atlanta Hawks. “I also believe it is the connection we have with the Lakeland Magic. That we understand we are staying connected with those guys as well. They stay ready and when their number is called, they are ready to come in and play. [Admiral] Schofield came in and gave big minutes, shots and defensively. Aleem Ford did a great job. Hassani coming in. These guys all came in and did a great job.”"

Mosley consistently credited how closely tied together Orlando is to its G-League affiliate in Lakeland for why the signed players integrated so quickly and helped support the team this week.

B.J. Johnson went on a scoring binge to help the Magic defeat the Hawks on Wednesday. Hassani Gravett provided good energy and helped the team close out the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday. Aleem Ford hit key shots in that win over the Nets too. Admiral Schofield gave a big boost off the bench in Thursday’s third-quarter comeback against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Freddie Gillespie joined the team this week and made an immediate impact with his energy and rebounding in the two games he has played since.

Yes, there were still plenty of issues. Those lineups with all players called up this past week still struggled.

And everyone should recognize that Orlando’s wins were played against equally depleted teams along with an injury-riddled Miami team last Friday.

Still, the team went from season splits of 103.0 offensive rating and 112.3 defensive rating for the season to 107.3 and 108.3 splits this past week. The Magic are playing much better, especially on defense which is where the team wanted to carve out its identity.

More credit should also go to the players who have played and remained active as COVID worked its way through the roster.

Gary Harris continued his torrid December, averaging 19.0 points per game and shooting 43.5-percent from beyond the arc in the last week of games. Franz Wagner stepped up too with the ball in his hands a lot more, averaging 21.5 points per game to go with 6.5 rebounds per game.

No player stepped up more than Robin Lopez.

Lopez went from not being in the rotation at all to being relied on heavily for 27.3 minutes per game during the last week. The reliable veteran provided some stability, being a fulcrum for the Magic’s offense with his surprisingly strong passing along with that patented hook shot.

Lopez averaged 13.0 points per game and shot 54.2-percent from the floor in the last three games. But Orlando was not going to get through this time without him.

Everyone had to step up and be ready. The team had to pull together.

"“It’s so big that he [Robin Lopez] always stays ready,” Mosley said after Wednesday’s win in Atlanta. “Not just on the court, but in the locker room and in the huddles. He is constantly communicating to these guys what he sees and how he can manipulate the defense here and there. His ability to make those passes was him understanding when the double was coming. But it’s huge for him to come in and do the things that he does.”"

The Magic’s coaching staff deserves a ton of credit for keeping these players ready and creating an environment where players can easily fit in. It is a credit to Mosley and his staff at how well the Magic have played.

The team needed something of a reset after struggling through much of the season. That simplification has helped make the team better.

Orlando knew this season would be a rough one record-wise. The Magic’s 7-26 record is the team’s worst 33-game start since 1992. The team still ranks 30th in the league in net rating.

This has led to some raising questions about the Magic’s coaching among fans, even with the acknowledgment that this team is not built to win and all the injuries that have decimated the team. Not to mention an extremely difficult schedule to start the season.

The team is looking for little victories. But the team is also looking for signs of progress. The Magic want to feel like they are going in the right direction and have the outlines of a team that can win moving forward.

Orlando has seen plenty of growth from individual players. There are young players getting better every game and it is plain to see.

But this last week has been a test of the team’s coaching and philosophies. And Mosley and his staff have done a great job integrating new players and maintaining their identity. It has helped the team grow.