It is a question that has rattled around the Orlando Magic for much of the past two weeks as the team has fallen on hard times with a six-game losing streak, dropping to 10th in the Eastern Conference entering Thursday's game against the Sacramento Kings.
It has really been the big question all season: Why has the Orlando Magic's defense fallen off so much?
It is the biggest change from the Magic's seven-game win streak to this current six-game losing streak. And it is the one thing the Magic know they must recover not only to end the streak, but to begin rebuilding to make a final push up the standings before the end of the season.
Everything for Orlando starts on defense.
"Get back to our identity. These last games haven't been the style of basketball we like to play, specifically on the defensive end," Wendell Carter said after shootaround Thursday. "We are giving up a lot of points. I think we have to do a better job locking in on who we are as a team and our identity. And lock in on tendencies."
This season has been frustrating from the beginning because of Orlando's inconsistent defense.
The Magic will have moments where they look like the devastating defensive team that terrorized the league the last two years. And then they will have moments where they are a sieve, letting opponetns get to the basket with ease.
Orlando is 14th in the league in defensive rating at 113.8 points allowed per 100 possessions after climbing into the top 10 during the win streak. The collapse on defense is the biggest reason for the team's collapse on the court.
Wild defensive swings
The Orlando Magic's defense has indeed taken quite the downturn during this six-game losing streak.
During the team's seven-game win streak, the Magic gave up only 108.8 points per 100 possessions. That stretch was the closest the team looked to the dominant defensive outfit everyone expected to see this season.
The team had a 73.5 percent defensive rebound rate, conceded a 51.6 effective field goal percentage (third-best in the league during that win streak) and gave up 46.6 points in the paint per game. Opponents had a 27.9 percent free-throw rate.
During the team's six-game losing streak, those fortunes have completely reversed. Orlando is giving up 121.2 points per 100 possessions.
That includes three of the 10 worst defensive ratings of the season and some nasty blowouts to the Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets, two opponents now in the thick of the Magic's playoff chase, and two losses that gave away any chance at tying the season series for playoff positioning.
Orlando has a 67.2 percent defensive rebound rate in the last six games. The defense has conceded a 58.4 percent effective field goal percentage, 50.7 points in the paint per game and a 32.2 percent free-throw rate.
It is clear to see where the team has faltered on this streak.
"There are a couple of things that probably lead to it," coach Jamahl Mosley said after shootaround Thursday. "You are playing the type of teams that shoot a lot more threes, guys that have the high-scoring ability guys. That's some of it.
"The other part of it is our defense. We've got to get more physical, follow the game plan, and some of these games have come down to one bounce here and one bounce there. But it starts in the first quarter. It starts with not giving up 40 points in a quarter or 30 points in a quarter. Those are the big pieces for us."
It is clear to see how things have fallen apart.
First quarters have been a problem, too. The Magic have a -22.9 net rating in the first quarter with a 134.9 defensive rating. Orlando has started playing from behind far too often. And first quarters like Tuesday's against the Cleveland Cavaliers have been rare lately.
The defense is where things start for this Orlando team. And that is where the team must recover.
Process and results
The Orlando Magic know they cannot blame the quality of their opponents or anything else for their struggles in this stretch. It is all on them to fix these issues and get back to their defensive identity.
There might be some schematic tweaks to make -- the Magic's switching scheme has seemingly been figured out or is not being executed nearly at the elite level it was. But everything ultimately lands on the players to put in the effort and change the team's fortunes.
"We're all trying to figure it out," Wendell Carter said after shootaround Thursday. "Teams have been shooting great from the 3-point line in this stretch. At the same time, I think we have lost our sense of focus in terms of who we're going against and what they like to do. We are fouling a lot, too.
"Right now, we can't focus on the losing streak. We understand these last 10 games is do-or-die every game. I think that's the mindset going into these games. In my opinion, everybody is locked in understanding the time is now."
Mosley said the final 10 games are an opportunity for the Magic. It is a chance to right the ship and get the team back on track. While Orlando has a hill to climb, the team is only two losses behind the teams in fifth and sixth in the Eastern Conference.
The margin for error is smaller, but the Magic can still avoid the Play-In if the team first takes care of its business.
That undoubtedly starts for this team on the defensive end. That has always been the team's identity.
Despite the defeats, the Magic believe they are following much of their process. That might be the team holding onto some hop. But with a better defensive showing, it should come out.
"We're doing a lot of good things," Mosley said after shootaround on Thursday. "You get caught up in the results so much because these are the games you shouldn't be kicking. But you have dropped them. The results are not what you want, but our process is right in a lot of ways. The question will be how can our defense take another step in the right direction moving forward?"
That has remained the big question all season long. If they want to fix themselves, it starts on defense.