Orlando Magic Daily
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3 thoughts on the Orlando Magic after one-quarter of season

By Luke Duffy

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 28: Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic reacts against the Charlotte Hornets during the fourth quarter at Amway Center on October 28, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 28: Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic reacts against the Charlotte Hornets during the fourth quarter at Amway Center on October 28, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) /
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Jamahl Mosley, Orlando Magic
Jamahl Mosley got the Orlando Magic back to practice after missing the last two days with Hurricane Ian. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports /

3 thoughts on the Orlando Magic’s first quarter

3. Is Jamahl Mosley under more pressure than we think?

Up to this point, coach Jamahl Mosley has gotten a free pass because this young team was growing together and responding to him on a personal level.

Mosley appears to be a well-liked individual who is clear in his vision for the organization. Now in his second season, it is still too early to talk about potentially canning the first-time head coach.

But a conversation that does need to be had is how Mosley still does not seem to have a clear idea of what he wants from his players. The sheer volume of injuries is never going to help, and it would be unfair to truly question if he is the right man for this roster until everybody is healthy again.

But in the awful loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, Mosley looked like a coach out of ideas.

There was a period early in the second quarter where he appeared to give a smaller lineup a go, with Paolo Banchero and Moe Wagner as the bigs on the court. They rattled off seven quick points, before 76ers head coach Doc Rivers figured out what to do, reacted accordingly and saw his side erase those scores.

Moments where Mosley has reacted to what is happening in a game and coming out on the right side have been few and far between during his tenure in charge.

Even now it is unclear if he trusts a player like R.J. Hampton, or is using him simply because he has no choice. There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to why Caleb Houstan and Admiral Schofield enter the game.

There is a fair amount of experimenting going on with such a young team. And there is something for the organization to learn even in its failures this season. But the Magic still want to win and grow toward winning, right?

Mosley charged his team to level up and while injuries have hampered those plans, it is hard to say the team has taken that step forward.

One-quarter of the way through, the Magic rank in the bottom 10 in defensive rating (27th, 115.1), offensive rating (24th, 109.5) and 3-point shooting percentage (21st, 33.9 percent). They sit 19th in rebounding at 43.3, despite having jumbo bigs like Bol Bol and Mo Bamba on the roster, as well as the currently injured Wendell Carter.

You could even make the case Mosley’s big win of this season, starting Bol and Carter Jr. together, came out of necessity more than anything else.

We will have to wait and see what happens once bodies start coming back into the rotation, but this is not a portion of the season that coach Mosley will want to repeat again.