Last night’s game between the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics had very different implications for the two teams. The Celtics used it as a chance to rest all their key players, and the Magic seized the opportunity to secure the top spot in the Play-In Tournament. Finishing the regular season in seventh place means that the Magic will get to host their Play-In Tournament game rather than having to try and keep their season alive on the road.
In a season derailed by injuries, that is a major accomplishment. Considering which players missed significant time for the Magic, their position in the standings could be much worse right now.
Despite the clear 96-76 win and its implications, one of the Magic’s biggest issues was still on full display.
The Magic still lack offensive production
The Celtics played without all of their key players. They started Baylor Scheierman, Torrey Craig, Sam Hauser, Luke Kornet, and Payton Pritchard. While Pritchard, Hauser, and Kornet are regulars in the Celtics’ rotations, the Boston team the Magic saw last night is not the same as when Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford are playing.
The Magic took care of business and beat a team they were definitely supposed to beat. And yet, the Magic’s offensive production was far from mind-blowing, reiterating one of the Magic’s biggest problems: Other than Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, few players on the roster contribute much offense.
While almost every Magic player, who stepped onto the floor scored, no player except for the usual suspects put up big numbers. Franz Wagner led the way with 23 points, Cole Anthony scored 18 points off the bench, and Paolo Banchero added 15 points. No other player scored more than eight points and the Magic did not even hit the 100-points mark. Other than the Celtics and the Magic, only two other teams that played last night scored fewer than 100 points.
Playing against a Celtics team without all its best players was an opportunity for the Magic’s less prominent players to step up and get their offense going before the Play-In Tournament and hopefully the playoffs. If the Magic are to make some noise in the playoffs, they will need everyone to play their best basketball.
Given their talent, relying on Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero to carry the team’s offense is not necessarily a bad choice, especially with the season hanging in the balance. It is not the key to sustainable long-term success, however. Relying primarily on Wagner and Banchero to carry the scoring load is not the way the Magic will realize their potential, even if Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs can add big numbers on occasion.
Magic fans should celebrate this victory and look forward to the postseason, but not without forgetting that the Magic will have plenty of work to do this offseason.