3 Key Matchups to Game 5
Literally anyone vs Caris LeVert.
Caris LeVert has not played much defense this series and the Orlando Magic need to take advantage of this.
LeVert is playing 25 minutes per game this series and all 25 of those minutes the Magic need to attack LeVert in Game 5. I know this is not a specific matchup but any Magic player that LeVert guards scores efficiently.
When LeVert is the primary defender in this series the Magic are 14 for 31, which is 45 percent from the field. But they are 1 for 11 from three on him, which means they are 13 for 20 from two against LeVert.
This means that every time they attack LeVert they score and whenever they settle for threes he gets bailed out.
The Magic need to find LeVert on the floor every possesion when he is in the game and run their offense at him. Franz Wagner is 5 for 8 on LeVert, Markelle Fultz is 3 for 4 and Moe Wagner is 2 for 3 on LeVert.
They need to continue taking advantage of this matchup when they get it and keep attacking. But some players need to do a better job when they get this matchup.
Jalen Suggs is 1 for 4 vs LeVert (1 for 2 on twos and 0 for 2 from three), Cole Anthony is 1 for 3, (1 for 1 from two and 0 for 2 from three) and Gary Harris and Joe Ingles are a combined 0 for 2 on LeVert with a combined 0 for 2 from three.
LeVert's size clearly bothers some of the smaller guards on the team.
Even Franz Wagner, who as mentioned is 5 for 8 on LeVert, is 4 for 4 from two and 1 for 4 from three.
These players are all pivotal to the Magic's offense and they need to stop settling for threes and letting LeVert get away with his lackluster defense.
The Magic are not a good three-point shooting team, and they have especially struggled in this series, so when they see LeVert on the floor that means it is time to attack the rim. When LeVert is on the court the only threes that should be attempted is if they bring a double to help LeVert and they pass to the open man. But no one should be shooting threes on LeVert.
Attacking LeVert can benefit the Magic in so many ways.
They will first get a lot of easy buckets either at the rim or in the mid-range game that will help them out in a series where they are struggling to score. This will also cause the defense to rotate and allow the Magic to get more open threes or open driving lanes for more easy buckets.
The importance of good shots and easy baskets cannot be understated in the playoffs and especially in this series.
Attacking LeVert will also affect him on the other side of the ball.
LeVert who is normally a 14-point-per-game scorer is only scoring 8.3 points per game this series and is already struggling due to the Magic's elite defense.
Making him work more on defense will tire him out and make it so his struggles continue and not allow him to be a factor for the late games of this series.
LeVert's laziness on defense cannot keep going unnoticed and the Magic have to stop settling when he is in front of them. They need to up the shot intake on LeVert for easy buckets and use LeVert to draw doubles and force the defense to scramble and rotate.
They have gotten 10 assists with LeVert as the primary defender and that number needs to jump too.