5 adjustments the Orlando Magic must make to get their first win
5 adjustments the Orlando Magic must make to get their first win
The stalwart calls
It should be very frustrating for Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley and his team that many of the things the team has focused on and talked about throughout training camp are still points of emphasis the team has not resolved to this point.
The simple things — the bell plays — are what is keeping the Magic from reaching their potential. And these are all things the Magic can control.
It is too reductive to say the Magic just need to play better. But that is also the fact of the matter too — thus it gets the first slide, but we will put them all together because this answer is just too simple.
The Magic spoke a lot in training camp about their focus on transition defense. There are certainly two sides to this coin — limiting turnovers and then being organized to limit transition points.
So far this season, the Magic are 21st in the league with a 14.8-percent turnover rate. The Magic have done a better job limiting their turnovers of late. But the team has struggled to prevent points off those turnovers. Orlando gives up 20.5 points off turnovers, 23rd in the league. The team also gives up 17.5 fast-break points per game, 23rd in the league.
Orlando is not at the very bottom of the barrel for any of these categories. But the team’s margin for error is so small that being in the bottom 10 for the league is hurting the team.
The other issue so far has been offensive rebounding. Orlando is 21st in the league with a 69.7-percent defensive rebound rate. The team is giving up 14.5 second-chance points per game, 14th in the league.
The rebounding issue has been more about giving up offensive rebounds and critical back-breaking moments rather than a raw number. Orlando’s defense has been able to rebalance and get stops even after giving up offensive rebounds.
The good news about all of these numbers is that they are completely correctible and controllable. A better focus on executing the offense and limiting these mistakes will make it easier for the Magic to set their defense, where they may not be fantastic but they are at least good enough.
Orlando has had long sustained runs of good play on both ends this season that should be a sign of good things to come. But far too often mistakes like these keep the team from sustaining that potential.