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5 Orlando Magic myths and how to dispel them

The Orlando Magic announced themselves to the wider world by making the Playoffs last year. But they are still a team floating well under the radar. And there are still a lot of myths about this Magic team.

By Philip Rossman-Reich

The Orlando Magic have a lot to prove this season. And a lot of myths they need to dispel as they enter a bigger stage.
The Orlando Magic have a lot to prove this season. And a lot of myths they need to dispel as they enter a bigger stage. / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
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Myth No. 4: The Magic cannot shoot threes

The Orlando Magic have a spacing problem. At least, that is what everyone says.

The team needs to get more consistent shooting and make shots more. Orlando finished last season ranked 29th in the league with 31.3 attempts per game and 24th with a 35.2 percent field goal percentage from three.

It is hard to be a successful team shooting a low volume and a low percentage from three. Nobody is pretending that 3-point shooting is not an issue for this team.

Then again, it was May 6, the day after the Magic lost in Game 7, that president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman dropped this well-timed statistical nugget: After Jan. 1, the Magic shot 36.3 percent from three, 15th in the league (on 32.1 attempts per game, 27th in the league for that time).

That is . . . something?

Perhaps then the question is whether shooting is even the most important thing the Magic have to solve. Orlando seemed plenty competitive despite good shooters like Gary Harris and Jalen Suggs having their share of struggles through the playoffs.

And Orlando addressed some of the shooting need by signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (he shot 40.6 percent from three last year and has been better than 40 percent in three of the last four years). The Magic are hoping Jalen Suggs maintains his 3-point shooting, Cole Anthony bounces back to a more efficient level and Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner improve their 3-point shooting.

But it should be noted too that even when the Magic shot better from three after Jan. 1, it did not change their offensive rating at all. They had a 112.9 offensive rating (22nd in the league) for the season and a 112.9 offensive rating (21st in the league) after Jan. 1.

Improved shooting on greater volume would help. But an improved percentage did not meaningfully change the Magic's offense, it would seem. Orlando needs something else to improve its offense.

Namely, the Magic have to reduce their turnovers to really make a change to their offense. They were among the worst teams in the league protecting possessions.

Better 3-point shooting is vital. But Orlando is probably better than it shows and it is not the biggest concern offensively.

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