Preseason revealed how the Orlando Magic still need to grow

Where the Orlando Magic still need to grow

Offense: Improving scoring and shooting

They have to focus on scoring the ball, getting good shots and making the right play. The Orlando Magic have put a lot of focus on ball movement and stressed getting into the paint to kick out. But it will be a work in progress.

Still, there were good signs the offense can improve.

Paolo Banchero led the Magic in scoring with 14.0 points per game in 24.2 minutes per game on 45.1-percent shooting in the preseason. This is a good sign for what is to come in the regular season for him. He should be a big part of the offense.

Most of the Magic starters got around 24-25 minutes per game in the preseason. And all five of the Magic’s projected starters ended up scoring in double figures. The Magic have talked a lot about being balanced and scoring by committee and they may well be capable of doing this in stretches.

But they need to become more efficient from three as well.

They were 15th in three-pointers made per game with 12.2 threes per game. And they were 11th in three-pointers attempted per game with 36.9 threes per game.

This seems good but they were 28th in percentage at 33.1 percent. They are shooting threes and making some but not at an efficient rate at all. They need to make sure they are making the extra pass and taking the best three-point shots possible.

They are young players but they need to learn their spots, they need to find where they shoot the best and where they are the most efficient. The maturity of the team will show when they shoot from their highest percentage shots.

In the preseason they made 12.6 threes per game on 40.0 attempts per game. This is just a slight improvement and they need to be more effective from three. In this age of basketball, the three point shot is the most important shot.

They shot 31.5 percent from three in the preseason which is not a good sign. When they have their rotational players playing regularly then those numbers will go up but this is not a good sign overall. The Magic are looking for better balance as they try to put pressure on the rim to create these 3-point shots.