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Orlando Magic Playbook: What the Orlando Magic can learn from their Oklahoma City collapse

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Franz Wagner and the Orlando Magic simply struggled to execute in a frustrating loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
Franz Wagner and the Orlando Magic simply struggled to execute in a frustrating loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports /
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What to learn from Orlando Magic’s collapse

Franz Wagner tries to create — ORL 104, OKC 102, 4:51 4th

One of the early storylines for the Orlando Magic this season is how the team has struggled to fill the point guard and playmaker minutes for this team. The injuries to Markelle Fultz, Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs (do not worry, we will get to him) have left a huge gap.

Orlando was likely to increase the playmaking responsibilities for Franz Wagner. They were going to put the ball in his hands a whole lot more and let him make some mistakes as a creator and shot-taker. He has responded in kind with more field goal attempts and plenty of mistakes.

Wagner has been pretty good overall outside of his 3-point shooting. But there is obviously more he has to give with the role he happens to be playing.

Orlando likely did not want to see him doing it this much. And probably not in these pressure moments. This is where he is struggling most.

As the Magic were clinging to their lead, Wagner was making a lot of critical errors and missing a lot of shots as the ball struggled to move around.

The play above is a typical Wagner shot where he catches the ball in motion coming downhill. Wagner is usually pretty good at controlling his speed and weaving through the defense. But here he goes straight line drive and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is able to get the block and ignite a fast break (he goes to the foul line to cut it to a four-point deficit).

The Thunder understood that Wagner is not a lead ball handler and they used one of their better defenders in Gilgeous-Alexander to increase the pressure on him. On the next possession, Gilgeous-Alexander was able to poke the ball from behind for a steal and a run-out dunk.

Another great play by a player playing very well right now.

Wagner turned around the next possession and seemed determined to go after Gilgeous-Alexander. He took a Dirk step back and missed with little ball movement as the Magic’s offense slowed to a crawl.

This is a makeable shot. The floor is decently spaced to give Wagner the room to get that shot off. But it is still an isolation move and lacks the ball movement the team wants.

At the end of the day, this is one of those make-or-miss shots. Wagner is capable of making that shot. If he makes it in that situation, the Magic go back up four and maybe exhale. But he misses that shot and the Thunder get a chance to tie the game (Gilgeous-Alexander would turn it over on the next possession).

This Magic team is still learning how to win games. And it is these decisions and plays that go a long way to deciding the final outcome.

This is not necessarily a bad shot. But in the context of the game, Orlando needs to get a basket to stop the bleeding. Getting all the way to the basket or creating some movement to get a better shot is what the Magic need here. Instead, the team falls short and is still trying to get its footing.