Throughout the preseason, the Orlando Magic were emphasizing one thing with their offense.
They were not focused on the number of threes they took, as in previous years (coach Jamahl Mosley specifically avoided putting a number to that question). They were not determined to continue their by-committee approach, although that is still a part of their strategy and philosophy.
The obsession this preseason was on pace.
Orlando wanted to play faster and more aggressively. The team wanted to see its players get downhill more, hoping the added spacing from the Desmond Bane acquisition would create more driving lanes and opportunities to attack the basket.
The Miami Heat wanted to do that too -- Erik Spoelstra said before Wednesday's game and said afterward that this was not the typical get-together between the Orlando Magic and Heat -- and that led to something completely unexpected in the Magic's 125-121 victory on Wednesday.
The Magic played fast. Perhaps too fast? Perhaps so fast that everyone will have to get a better grip on what a quality performance is. At least for one game.
A record pace
The Orlando Magic's game on Wednesday was played at a considerably faster pace than this team is used to. And if it is a sign of things to come, this season will be very different.
The 111.5 possessions per 48 minutes the game was played at, according to NBA.com, was not only well above the highest-possession game of last year -- 105.5 possessions per 48 minutes in the game against the Indiana Pacers at the end of the season -- but the highest-possession game the team has played since a February, 2019, 132-122 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder that was played at 113.0 possessions per 48 minutes.
Considering Orlando played with the fewest possessions in the league last year, this was a shocking turn.
It made 125 points feel like a breeze, even with some moments of stagnation throughout the game. The 125 points themselves were a rarity after the team scored that much only three times last year.
The pace is something everyone is going to have to get used to.
"I think our offense is good," Franz Wagner said after Wednesday's game. "Like I said in the preseason, I thought we did a really good job of that and learning these new habits that we have. I think defensively, it is just inconsistent right now. I thought the Heat played well and made some tough shots, especially in the first half. I think just being more consistent in your spots and moving when the ball moves, I think will help us a lot."
All of the Magic's pace numbers were way up from this game. It worked exactly how the team wanted.
Orlando posted a 112.6 offensive rating and shot 12 for 30 from three (40.0 percent), both areas of major concern throughout last year. But more than that, Orlando scored 23 fast break points, shooting 10-for-12 in transition.
Orlando scored 1.11 points per possession on 17.9 transition possessions per game last year, well below the league's average according to data from Synergy Sports. In Wednesday's game, the team scored 1.48 points per possession on 21 possessions (31 points) in transition.
Any way you cut it, the Magic were significantly better getting out on the break and finding easy shots.
Defense and offense
Everything for the Orlando Magic is meant to start with the team's defense. This is where there were encouraging signs, but also plenty still to work on.
Orlando's goal was to do a better job converting the massive amount of turnovers they create. They succeeded there, scoring 25 points off 19 turnovers.
But even there, defense will take some adjusting to. The 121 points the Magic gave up were certainly a bit of sticker shock. It did not feel like a Magic defensive effort.
But the numbers would suggest the team defended well. Certainly it was well enough.
The Magic had a 108.0 defensive rating in the game. That is seventh in the league through Wednesday's games. It is also a better mark than the 109.1 defensive rating the team had last year, which was second in the league.
Orlando found its defense at the critical moments in the game. They got several big stops down the stretch and won all the 50/50 balls to win the game. That is the fine line between winning and losing.
But there were a lot of rough moments in the meantime. The Magic gave up 39 points in the first quarter and a 130.0 offensive rating. It was certainly not a Magic-like defensive performance.
But when the Magic turned on the screws and brought the defensive pressure up, they looked like themselves. There were a lot of positive moments.
The raw score just felt like the Magic were giving up loads of points.
"We've got work to do," Desmond Bane said after Wednesday's game. "It's always good to come out of here with a win. But we still have a long way to go. It's the first of 82, it's a long journey. it doesn't happen overnight. I'm excited to get a chance to watch the film and see where we can improve. i's good to get out of here with the first one for the home crowd."
The Magic will be the first ones to admit there is still work to do. They were not happy with their consistency on either end of the floor. The team knows it must continue to get better.
But there is a bit of reframing that needs to happen if the team is going to play at such a breakneck speed. If the Magic are going to have this many more possessions, their scores are naturally going to increase, too. This is why we try to look at per possession numbers.
Orlando finding the right tempo and defensive balance at this pace may still take some getting used to. But that is why you cannot read too much into one game.