The Orlando Magic have found a recipe for potential victories

The Orlando Magic have had a tough year.

This year is considered a rebuilding year after the organization traded the core players of their roster (Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier) at the trade deadline in 2021.

Even during that era, the Magic would win decisive games when players scored in double digits, much like this year. They relied on sharing and moving the ball for their success.

The difference is the Magic have not been a solid Eastern Conference team since those guys left and cannot compete for a playoff spot like they once did.

Nowadays, the Magic are just competing for respect. They have been able to pull off a few wins this year, but they are still the worst team in the NBA.

Although this team has not been good they seem to have found out how to play with each other as a team to put away the teams they have beaten.

The Orlando Magic have had five or more players score in double digits in their last six wins. But is this a formula for success or a team on the verge of another losing season.

The Magic have won games by sharing the basketball and making sure that almost everyone gets good looks throughout the game. They have managed to become a team that will have five or more players finishing with double-digit points in their recent wins, and that can be a recipe for more wins in the future.

As Jamahl Mosley liked to say before the season, the goal for the team was to play with the pass. And they have been doing that more.

For the season, the Magic average 23.0 assists per game this season, 23rd in the league. They have a 60.8-percent assist rate, 11th in the league. Meaning more of the Magic’s points and field goals come off assists.

They are 14th in the league with 282.6 passes per game according to Second Spectrum and 16th in the league with 45.8 potential assists per game. Both are improved over last year’s marks — 269.5 passes per game and 43.7 potential assists per game.

Much of the Magic’s offensive issues come down to making shots. Sharing the ball and keeping it moving is a big part of the Magic’s offense.

In their last six games, when the team has gone 4-2, they are averaging 29.3 assists per game (second in the league) and have an assist rate of 69.8-percent (also second in the league).

During that time too, Orlando’s usually moribund offense is posting a 112.2 offensive rating in that time period. The team is not playing like an offense near the bottom of the league. Not lately at least.

This movement of the ball and how they are getting open shots is a big reason for this success. It is essential to the Magic experiencing any success whatsoever.

This team is not built around a big-three superstar like how the Los Angeles Lakers (Anthony Davis, Lebron James, Russell Westbrook) or the Brooklyn Nets (Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, James Harden) are built. They are not even built around a big-two duo like the LA Clippers (Kawhi Leonard, Paul George) or the Utah Jazz (Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell).

These teams have role players surrounding All-NBA type of players who can dominate their positions.

The Magic are built like a team full of role players who can score in double digits occasionally. There is no one consistent star player to average 20 points per game.

The team’s leading scorer for the season, Cole Anthony, has averaged only 15.5 points per game on 32.6-percent shooting during this six-game spurt. Where he has continued to contribute is as a playmaker, where he averages 8.0 assists per game in his last six games.

The Magic may not have a dominant scorer, but they are finding ways to free up shots, push the pace to get easy baskets and score at a rate they have not this year.

This style of play will not result in a Playoff appearance. But it definitely helps these players understand how important teamwork is at the end of the day.

It has worked in the last six games the Magic has played against an opponent including their recent nail-biting win against the Indiana Pacers.

At Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Magic managed to have five players score in double digits. Gary Harris led the way with 22 points, Wendell Carter scored 19, Franz Wagner scored 17, Cole Anthony scored 15 and Jalen Suggs scored 12 points. Orlando won the game 119-118, using their defense and a late offensive burst to erase a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

Now to be fair the Magic do not win every time five or more players score double digits, but these last six wins it should be noted they have.

When the Magic played against the Dallas Mavericks they had six players who finished in double figures. Chuma Okeke led the way with 19 points, Franz Wagner scored 18, Cole Anthony scored 16, Moritz Wagner and Wendell Carter both scored 14 and Mo Bamba scored 10. So this game was another example of what the Magic could look like if they could consistently have multiple players who score in double digits.

It is all a sign the Magic are moving the ball and getting better shots thus freeing an offense that has largely been stuck in the mud all season.

This has been a formula for their last six wins. It has worked against teams like the Indiana Pacers, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks. And you just cannot sneeze at the wins because three of those teams are potential playoff teams this year.