After the Orlando Magic’s win over the Houston Rockets on Friday, Wendell Carter spoke about the key to the win. It was the same turning point that has hit the team hard throughout the course of the season.
The team had gotten out to a sluggish start and fell behind. They fought uphill for much of the rest of the half, using their bench to retake the lead heading into the half. It was a seven-point lead at the half, but the Magic have had plenty of reason to be leery at halftime.
This was the point of emphasis in the locker room. It is something they have talked about often in those locker room conversations.
The number of times the Magic have come out flat to start the third quarter, struggled to adjust as teams came out of the locker room and just got run out of the gym at halftime have been part of the narrative of this young team. Orlando knows it has suffered some of its worst losses and moments in the third quarter.
The Orlando Magic know they have had struggles coming out of the locker room at halftime. They have started to make the third quarter more of a focus.
The Magic responded in that third quarter. Despite needing a quick timeout, they only lost the quarter 32-28. That was enough for the team to find its footing and stay in control of the game. Orlando would execute down the stretch to win.
The moment was important for a young Orlando team to sustain that run and stay in control and keep its poise.
Take it as another learning lesson. And one the team will continue to work through and focus on the rest of the season. The third quarter matters for a young team for many reasons.
The Magic have a lot of things to learn. Sustaining that third-quarter punch and run is among the many things the team has to improve. Seeking consistency in a 48-minute game is a big part of that. And this was a moment for the team to stand up to the test.
Carter said the third quarter was where the game would be decided.
That has been the case throughout the season too. It is no surprise then that the team has struggled in third quarters for the majority of the season.
Orlando is 28th in the league in the third quarter with an overall net rating of -10.0 points per 100 possessions. They barely clear the bottom five teams in the league with a 114.4 defensive rating in the third quarter — their worst defensive rating in any individual quarter this season.
The team has a -15.3 net rating in the first quarter. So it is safe to say the Magic often find themselves down early and trying to climb back in. And then often it is the third quarter that buries the team and leaves them with a fate they cannot escape.
It is easy to see why the Magic want to put their focus on doing better in the third quarter. Even if it is not winning the third quarter.
The Orlando Magic’s halftime adjustments and energy were critical in Monday’s win over the Indiana Pacers.
They outscored the Pacers 35-19 in the third quarter, making 11 of 23 shots and forcing 10 turnovers for 18 points in the period. Orlando went on a 14-2 run in the period to take firm and final control of the game.
Turnovers had a lot to do with the Magic being able to gain some distance after trailing by one at the half. But it is still a sign of how the team stepped up in a critical moment.
There has been a lot of scarring in that third quarter — whether it was the Boston Celtics’ run to beat the Orlando Magic in a low-scoring game early in the season or the 17-0 run the Los Angeles Lakers put on them a month ago. This has been an area where Orlando has start to show some growth.
This is probably though where the Magic will continue to struggle until they get a bit more confidence and experience.
In the team’s last 10 games, the Magic have a -4.7 net rating in the third quarter. That remains in the bottom 10 for the league in that time period. Orlando still has work to do to grow and build. Just like the team does everywhere.
But the improvement should be noted.
The third period and adjusting after halftime are still lessons the team needs to learn. The important thing is how much the team has recognized this and is trying to make some change. They are trying to improve in this area.
That has still been so much of what this season is about. And this is something the team has to go through and learn.
Orlando has a lot of areas where it has to learn. That part is not surprising.
But there have been several moments this season where Carter has said the team came together in the locker room and put their emphasis on coming out strong after halftime. There have been a lot of moments where players on the team have tried to sort through their problems together. They wanted to make this a focus.
There are certainly still times where the team falters and does not play its best. This is going to remain a point of learning for the team. the team needs these experiences — both successes and failures.
What is clear is how vital the third quarter is. It is still an area the team struggles in even during wins — the team has a league-worst +4.0 net rating in third quarters of wins. And so the Magic still have to improve coming out of the break. This is still an area where the team can improve.
And so it will remain a focus. It will remain something the team points out and talks about in the locker room at halftime. It will remain an area the team looks to get better and fights through.
There is still a lot to learn for the Magic. But here is one area where the Magic identify a clear problem and are working on improvement. Even fi, like everything else, it is incremental.