Orlando Magic Shooting Month: Top 20 shooters in Orlando Magic history

Top 20 Shooters in Orlando Magic History

14. Mickael Pietrus

By Patrick Previty

Mickael Pietrus only played a bit more than two seasons for the Orlando Magic, but he made his presence felt by being a sharpshooting specialist from beyond the arc.

During his time with the Magic, he was a part of the 2009 team that went to the NBA Finals. That squad was filled with players on this list such as Rashard Lewis, J.J. Reddick, Hedo Turkoglu, Jameer Nelson and Courtney Lee.

But Pietrus was the one who stood out during their playoff run.

In the 38 playoff games, he averaged 9.7 points per game and shot 35.3-percent from three. In the 2009 Playoffs, he averaged 10.5 points per game and shot 38.5-percent from beyond the arc.

Both numbers were higher than his regular season stats and helped Orlando reach the team’s best finish in franchise history.

Ironically, his defense overshadowed his shooting numbers. He was asked to defend LeBron James and Kobe Bryant during the playoffs and held his own. He was the definition of a 3-and-D player.

During the 2010 season, Pietrus received an increase in playing time and delivered.

He made 116 three-pointers on the season, which was a career-high, and he shot 43.2-percent from the field which was the highest in his time with the Magic. In the Playoffs that year, he shot 45.9-percent from beyond the arc in the team’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals.

In the 2011 season, Pietrus was traded to the Phoenix Suns ending his career with the Orlando Magic. He eventually retired from the NBA in 2013.

Pietrus was just a player who stepped up in the big moments. The joke when he was playing with the team is that he often only showed up in games that mattered. But he did indeed show up for the big matchups. The Magic would not have made their deep playoff runs without him.

He drew on his experience playing for the “We Believe” Golden State Warriors to help uplift the team.

For his career, he shot 35.5-percent from three-point range and made 679 three-pointers.

When he joined Orlando, the team was looking to put shooters around Dwight Howard. Most of the shooters during that era are on this list.

And Pietrus, despite not being on the Magic for a long time, proved his worth on numerous occasions.