3 Orlando Magic players who could fall flat in their future playoffs

3 Orlando Magic players who could fall flat in the playoffs

Cole Anthony

The hard part about projecting this Orlando Magic team is trying to figure out just how any player will react to the pressures of the postseason. And that is the challenge of what the Magic have to do this offseason. They are kind of flying blind trying to figure out which of their young players will be able to step up under the pressure.

And really, at the end of the day, the only way for the team to figure all of this out is actually to see their team play in the postseason.

One player who seems like he could be a great fit for the postseason pressure may also struggle.

And this may well be the central question surrounding Cole Anthony on a number of levels. Anthony settled in nicely as the season went on as the team’s sixth man. He showed himself capable of scoring in bunches off the bench.

This is why we thought he could be a potential X-factor for the Magic in the postseason. He is someone who can score in bunches and, increasingly in a variety of ways. That will become valuable to give the Magic an extra scoring punch.

But all the concerns for Anthony still exist in bunches.

Can he maintain that efficiency? That is probably the biggest question for him. There is no doubt he will continue to work on his offense and find his way to fit in with this team.

But that is not the only question facing Anthony.

Despite his best efforts and certain improvement, Anthony’s short stature and defense remain huge questions for him and the team.

This is not to say Anthony has not put in the effort defensively.

He has gotten a lot better defensively. And the Magic’s strategy of pressuring the ball full court seemed to fit Anthony’s eye, enabling him to dictate the pace defensively some and putting him in spots to try to get cheap steals and pressure (although sometimes to his detriment).

Orlando has worked hard to put Anthony in good defensive positions and to try to use his physicality to his advantage. Even though he does not pick up the same number of deflections and steals as others on the roster, Anthony still rates well at creating loose balls and steals.

Still, defenses are not going to be shy about targeting Anthony. And they are going to put him in pick and rolls — specifically perimeter player pick and rolls — to try to force him into uncomfortable matchups.

This is one of the reasons why bringing him off the bench makes more sense. That limits his time against the best scorers from the other team, allows him more manageable defensive assignments and helps him become the dominant scorer in the lineups and situations he is put in.

The reality is that in a playoff situation, Anthony can almost certainly be successful. But he is still limited. And the Magic have to understand that limitation right now.

This is all part of the consideration as the team thinks about offering an extension. The reality is Anthony can both be an X-factor and a detriment when the team gets to the postseason.