Cohen: This Is A Major Reason Why The Orlando Magic Are One Of The Hottest Teams Again

[Knightro]

ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic are 11-4 in their last 15 games. That’s tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves for the third-best record during this stretch. Ironically enough, two of Orlando’s wins in this time were against the T-Wolves and Cavs – both on the road, in fact.

So, you might be wondering, what is driving this latest Magic surge?

Obviously, there are many things they are doing well. But the most glaring of them all is also the simplest of them all, which is that opponents are just not getting many shots up against them.

Take Orlando’s most recent victory as an example. The Utah Jazz, who are averaging 90.5 shot attempts this season – eighth most in the league – got up just 80 floor shots against the Magic. It was the 18th time this season an Orlando opponent took 80 or fewer shots.

No team has prevented their opponent from taking more than 80 shots from the field more times than the Magic. There are eight teams, in fact, that have only done this twice this season. The last 15 games, specifically, opponents of the Magic are averaging a league-low 81.5 shot attempts, including just 30.7 3-pointers, which are second fewest.

So, now you might be wondering, what is the cause of this?

There are three main things: patience on offense, forcing opponent turnovers, and securing rebounds.

READ MORE: https://www.nba.com/magic/news/this-is-a-major-reason-why-the-orlando-magic-are-one-of-the-hottest-teams-again-20240301 (free)

So how are the Magic limiting their opponents field goal attempts so effectively?

1. They are playing at a slow pace and bleeding the clock when they have the ball
2nd slowest pace during the last 15 games
4th most shots with 4 seconds or less on the shot clock, 5th most shots between 4 and 7 seconds remaining
2nd fewest shots with 18 to 22 seconds left on the shot clock, 3rd fewest between 15 and 18 seconds left

2. They are forcing a lot of turnovers defensively
1st in steals last 15 games
1st in opponents turnovers last 15 games

3. They are crashing the defensive glass hard
2nd fewest OREB allowed (8.2) the last 15 games

[tooler]

The bottom line is that the Magic play a brand of basketball that has a winning formula. Few teams do what they do, making them unique. It’s also a style that aligns with playoff basketball. So if they get in, which if the season ended today they would, they’ll be prepared for what’s to come.

Now for the offense.

[JoshuaPotter]

Didn't we already know that the game plan was to grind it to a halt and force opponents to shoot well?

[KillMonger]

It's the schedule... Lol

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[eyriq]

That's a good analysis. Our style of play is playoff friendly? Sounds promising. If we win a series I'm really going to start talking foolish (Franz/Paolo > Shaq/Penny or Durant/Westbrook)

[eyriq]

Read on Twitter

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[Last Guardian]

Being relatively healthy (for us anyway) and the schedule getting easier have been major contributors.

Team has a lot of offensive developments to make but they are TOUGH to beat when fully healthy.

[RichCollab]

And I thought it was because of Fultz resurgence.

[TheChaser]

It's the schedule... Lol

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Lol. I thought this as well. And really, all of the schedules even out pretty much in the same way by the time it's all said and done, but this was a great post regardless. The detailed shot clock numbers are really cool to see. Thank you!

[RookieStar]

I thought this was gonna be that ESPN article about SUggs.. but it was written by Lowe.

[tooler]

The blurb on Suggs mentioned above:

5. Beware of Jalen Suggs when passing across the court
Look both ways before trying any crosscourt pass when Suggs is around, because ... Watch out! [video link removed]

Yoink! That is an NBA pick-six from a guy who was once an elite football player. Suggs averages 1.4 steals while almost never gambling his way out of position. And even when he bets and loses, he's nimble enough changing directions -- and dangerous enough as a rearview shot-blocker -- to stay engaged: [video link removed]

Suggs is one of the league's most well-rounded defensive guards, with the speed to chase waterbug point guards and the heft to jostle with big wings. He is a cinder block with arms and very fast feet. The Magic's defense is built to last; they have held steady at No. 5 in points allowed per possession. They are physical, versatile, ultra-competitive, protective of the glass.

Suggs is also up to 39% on 3s after hitting just 32.7% last season and barely making any as a rookie. He has already made more 3s this season (113) than the 108 he hit combined in his first two. He's taking more -- 7.1 per 36 minutes, up from 5.8 last season. Suggs is even 28-of-73 (38%) on off-the-bounce 3s, already surpassing his career high in makes.

Marcus Smart -- a common Suggs comp -- has never hit better than 36.4% on 3s in any season and has only exceeded Suggs's current attempt rate twice.

Defenses will remain skeptical until Suggs proves it over a larger sample; they still ignore him on the perimeter to clog the lane on Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. That will change if Suggs keeps punishing them.

The Magic are 29th in 3-point attempts and 25th in 3-point shooting percentage. Their shooting deficit is the main reason they are on pace to finish 20th or worse in offensive efficiency for the 12th straight season -- a baffling streak of punchlessness that has become one of my favorite oddities.

One of the biggest crossroads facing any team is Orlando's appetite to acquire a star guard who can both shoot and run some portion of the offense. Markelle Fultz doesn't appear to be happening. Anthony Black is barely 20, far away as a shooter. (He is a fantastic defender.) Cole Anthony appears to be in the right place as a sixth man. Gary Harris' contract expires after this season. Jett Howard has played 49 NBA minutes.

Suggs may end up checking the shooting box, but he has not grown as much as an orchestrator. He runs only 12 pick-and-rolls per 100 possessions, very low for a starting guard. The Magic have scored only 0.85 points per possession directly out of those plays -- 172nd out of 196 guys who have run at least 100 pick-and-rolls, per Second Spectrum.

But Orlando runs a lot of offense through Banchero and Wagner, and they probably would like to keep it that way. Plopping, say, Trae Young into this mix amounts to an overhaul. Is there an in-between solution -- a starting-level guard who can shoot, defend, pass and soak up some offense but not so much as to reorient everything? That's a tough needle to thread.

If the Magic can't find that player, is the only solution to wait and hope?

The Magic are loaded with cap space and trade assets. They will be fascinating to monitor this summer and going forward. Suggs fits no matter what direction they take.

I always thought his most likely comp (not his floor or ceiling) was a likeable Marcus Smart. It's possible he exceeds it significantly.

[Bensational]

Crazy that what has been regarded a major weakness of the team (shooting and offensive versatility) may have become a calculated strength for us. I thought the slow offense was more a result of struggles to generate (which it is), but with the way we constantly drive and kick and rinse repeat it makes sense that it’s a strategic way to grind down the defense until a high percentage close range shot becomes available.

Most of all, it’s the defense that is getting it done for us, which should hopefully cement the importance of guys like Suggs and Black.

It’s nice to consider this as a new floor for the team and then how we build upon that to get some more potency in the offense.

[RookieStar]

So us in danger of always getting a 24sec violation is by design after all? Huh....

[Knightro]

This bit from Lowe is really the key thing to monitor moving forward.

But Orlando runs a lot of offense through Banchero and Wagner, and they probably would like to keep it that way. Plopping, say, Trae Young into this mix amounts to an overhaul. Is there an in-between solution -- a starting-level guard who can shoot, defend, pass and soak up some offense but not so much as to reorient everything? That's a tough needle to thread.

If the Magic can't find that player, is the only solution to wait and hope?

The Magic are loaded with cap space and trade assets. They will be fascinating to monitor this summer and going forward. Suggs fits no matter what direction they take.

There's a big gap between "barely dribbles and never does anything with the ball" Anthony Black and "has the ball on every single possession and dribbles the air out of it" Trae Young. Those two are literally the two extreme ends of the spectrum.

Finding something in the middle of those two extremes (while retaining Black) seems like the best of both worlds..

[Residual-Heat]

This bit from Lowe is really the key thing to monitor moving forward.

But Orlando runs a lot of offense through Banchero and Wagner, and they probably would like to keep it that way. Plopping, say, Trae Young into this mix amounts to an overhaul. Is there an in-between solution -- a starting-level guard who can shoot, defend, pass and soak up some offense but not so much as to reorient everything? That's a tough needle to thread.

If the Magic can't find that player, is the only solution to wait and hope?

The Magic are loaded with cap space and trade assets. They will be fascinating to monitor this summer and going forward. Suggs fits no matter what direction they take.

There's a big gap between "barely dribbles and never does anything with the ball" Anthony Black and "has the ball on every single possession and dribbles the air out of it" Trae Young. Those two are literally the two extreme ends of the spectrum.

Finding something in the middle of those two extremes (while retaining Black) seems like the best of both worlds..

Guy like Jrue wouldve been perfect IMO if he was a few years younger.

[Knightro]

Guy like Jrue wouldve been perfect IMO if he was a few years younger.

Jrue can be a free agent at the end of the season if he opts out, which I think he might do if somebody is willing to give him one last big AAV deal.

But he's also about to turn 34. Still a very good shooter and defender though.

[eyriq]

This bit from Lowe is really the key thing to monitor moving forward.

But Orlando runs a lot of offense through Banchero and Wagner, and they probably would like to keep it that way. Plopping, say, Trae Young into this mix amounts to an overhaul. Is there an in-between solution -- a starting-level guard who can shoot, defend, pass and soak up some offense but not so much as to reorient everything? That's a tough needle to thread.

If the Magic can't find that player, is the only solution to wait and hope?

The Magic are loaded with cap space and trade assets. They will be fascinating to monitor this summer and going forward. Suggs fits no matter what direction they take.

There's a big gap between "barely dribbles and never does anything with the ball" Anthony Black and "has the ball on every single possession and dribbles the air out of it" Trae Young. Those two are literally the two extreme ends of the spectrum.

Finding something in the middle of those two extremes (while retaining Black) seems like the best of both worlds..

I wonder if Klay Thompson threads that needle

[MasterGMer]

But besides all that, Magic’s offensive numbers are not that impressive, especially our shooting.

That is why I am interested in Klay Thompson


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[Residual-Heat]

Guy like Jrue wouldve been perfect IMO if he was a few years younger.

Jrue can be a free agent at the end of the season if he opts out, which I think he might do if somebody is willing to give him one last big AAV deal.

But he's also about to turn 34. Still a very good shooter and defender though.

I guess we could have a chance to get him if we offered a FVV type contract.

[SOUL]

IDC if it's the schedule... nobody, not even our own fans give us the benefit of the doubt much with injuries or back to back away games or the quality of opponent and makes grand statements on players being busts/firing ppl.. so the fact that we have been taking advantage of the softer schedule so far is really nice. And not something we've been used to much either.