SR – NBA Bubble Breakdowns: #15 Orlando Magic

Happy Wednesday! The countdown until NBA basketball is just about two weeks away and fans who have been fiending for live, professional sports will finally get their wish 15 days from now on July 30. And since we’ve only god 15 days left until the season picks back up, today’s team clocked in at 15 is the first playoff-qualifying team to appear on our Bubble Breakdowns.

The Orlando Magic are an anomaly. In what many prophesized to be a year of recession for a team that’s unlikely to do any major climbing in their conference after being ousted in the first round of last year’s playoffs by eventual champion Toronto, these Orlando Magic sure do pack some moxy. Sitting at eighth in the East with the increasing probability of improving their seasonal mark as the (un)official hosts of the Orlando bubble, the Magic have proven time and time again that what Steve Clifford has brewing only spells good fortune for the organization’s growth.

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Orlando’s Season In Review (30-35, 8th in West)

Magic General Manager John Hammond has been around the block for a while, and knows a thing or two about winning. Just in case you’ve been forgetful of his track record, he was a perpetrator in the decision to draft some guy by the long name of Giannis Antetokounmpo a while back in 2013, all while sculpting the balanced, size-abundant Bucks roster awash with three-level scorers.

Current Milwaukee GM Jon Horst (last year’s executive of the year) has Hammond first in line to thank for the foundation of the roster he’d help to finalize, now with those very Bucks perched atop the East with title contention on their mind this year.

And truthfully, we’ve started to grow accustomed to witnessing this trend of rebuilding franchises hiring prospective executive board members with exceptional eyes when it comes to drafting and scouting, because when you’re pretty good at your job, other businesses and organizations catch wind of your success rate.

We’re seeing it now with the Bulls hiring former Nuggets GM Artūras Karnišovas to be their Vice President of Basketball Operations, who made the decision to take Nikola Jokic on the same draft night that Antetokounmpo was selected back in 2013, as this normalization of rebuilding teams making the first step toward playoff contention by hiring credible employees has become lockstep.

But while the Magic haven’t really had that main slugger as a true No. 1 All-Star caliber talent, you could say they’ve been on this trend before it went mainstream.

Assessing this year, Steve Clifford’s Magic were on the cusp of making it back to the playoffs for a second-straight year, up until the March 11 suspension happened as a result of the anxieties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. They’re five games under .500 but are primed to touch the postseason under the effective and not-so-flashy play that garners attention from social media handles.

They’ve had a solid roster to lean on all season, and while they’ve flown under the radar, they’ve really grinded it out on the defensive end and along the way have learned to accentuate each other’s offensive skillset the more they’ve gotten to play this year.

The mantras of grind and work ethic ring through the walls of the AdventHealth Practice Facility, extending from executives and coaches to the players. They’ve worked with what they have, haven’t lamented over shortcoming, and have produced effectively. It’s been a life code for John Hammond to live by, and surely by now its rubbed off on the infrastructure of his organization.

A roster with the likes of All-Star big man Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon, Terrence Ross, D.J. Augustin, Markelle Fultz, Jonathan Isaac (who was lost for the season in January with a knee injury but could possibly be a go for Orlando’s resumed season), James Ennis III and Mo Bamba don’t look all that menacing on paper, but they’ll give you a physical four quarters on any given night.

Not only have they posted a top-10 defensive rating among the other 29 teams in the league, but they’ve pieced it together on the offensive end, with the 5th-highest Assist-to-turnover ratio (1.90) in the entire league and the third-least amount of turnovers (12.1 tov.) per game.

They started the year 3-7 but kept their head down and worked, maintaining control of the eighth seed in the East. For their work, they’ve been rewarded as they have one of the more favorable schedules for the season’s resumption.

Even better: Al-Farouq Aminu is all healed up from his meniscus injury sustained back in January, Evan Fournier is recovered from an injury to his right elbow, and certain parts of this Magic team like Markelle Fultz and Terrence Ross were getting into a good rhythm up until the hiatus, which they hope to expand on as the abridged season tips off in two weeks.

Ross was on a tear in the 10 games prior to the Magic having their season put on hold, averaging 22.2 points per contest. The former Washington Husky posted two 30+ point performances in the span of two weeks, the first against Minnesota at home in which he dropped 33 off 52 percent shooting, and the second being a season-high 35 dropped on Southeastern rival Miami’s heads on the road just six days later.

And as for Markelle Fultz, it seems like the former No. 1 overall pick back in 2017 has found his home and a place to not only grow his game but harvest some self-confidence and comfortability, something that he wasn’t quite able to obtain in such a city so critical of minor infractions like Philadelphia.

Factor in the fact that he has a point guard’s coach like Steve Clifford to navigate him through the process of learning how to be a franchise point guard, while also progressively giving him tidbits on how to be comfortable with the fact that the franchise’s success is largely incumbent upon his shoulders.

Positive reinforcement can go a long way and it looked like the DeMatha product needed it after having his psyche affected by constantly hearing the downtalk from an array of Philly media members who condemned his place in the professional rankings due to his inability to remain healthy and mentally intact due to those peculiar shoulder complications, which devastatingly changed his jumpshot.

Clifford provide it in substantiality, and with the guidance of veteran presence coming from Ross and D.J. Augustin, Fultz has been one of the breakout stars in the NBA. He might even be up for nomination for the Kia Most Improved Player award. This year, he’s shown fans as to why the Sixers couldn’t say no when they were on the clock with the first-overall pick three years ago. An ode to the era of wingspan-endowed guards that are long enough to guard multiple positions and score at will both inside and outside, Fultz is a phenomenal athlete that’s threatening on and off-ball.

He has such a natural fondness for utilizing that length to finish over defenders within two feet of the iron, or pull up from deep or mid-range as a pick-and-roll ball handler. His shooting stroke could use some work as he is still a work in progress, but he’s earned a starting spot as Clifford elected to have Augustin come off the bench in the favor of giving Fultz more reps in a starting spot.

But the Magic’s team MVP has to be Nikola Vucevic, right? I mean, how can he not? As the team leader in points (19.5) and rebounds (11.5), Vucevic has earned All-Star honors during this two-year period that’s seen a spike in productivity by his Magic. And just like any system that becomes spacious enough when there is a big man dynamic enough to not only be a brick wall when setting screens but a two-way threat that pops the three-ball like it’s second nature, he has become a luxury for this team that further plots their course to a respectable playoff run.

Some key wins for this Magic squad include one of their wins against teams .500 or better in their victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on January 15, sealed with two clutch layups by Markelle Fultz in the game’s waning minute. Fultz posted a triple-double in the most impressive win of the season, putting up 21 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists as the Magic snapped LA’s winning streak at nine games.

Their other key victory came on March 10,a day prior to the league suspending its season. Orlando was down 17 in the FedEx Forum, with yet another loss against a playoff team looming over their heads like an inescapable dark cloud.

And then, Terrence Ross happened.

The Magic two-guard would proceed to score 18 of his 24 points on the night in the fourth quarter, capping off what could be the most gratifying win of the season as the Magic were on a three-game winning streak, with momentum all but squandered as the hiatus halted everything.

Another moment from the season: (Another) infamous Aaron Gordon snub at the 2020 dunk contest. It seems as if the Orlando Magic might be cursed in the nationally-televised festivities of All-Star Saturday.

Or…it’s rigged…

Considering that they haven’t won a dunk contest since 2008 when Dwight Howard put on the Superman cape and “flew” from the free throw line, Aaron Gordon had the chance to avenge his loss in 2016 during that all-time dunk showcase against Zach LaVine, but thanks to another defeat at the hands of longtime Magic rival Dwyane Wade who served as a judge during the contest, Gordon would be given the score of a “9” after dunking over 7-foot Tacko Fall from the Boston Celtics.

Aside from that forgetful misjudgement, Orlando’s season’s had plenty of ups to counter the downs, meaning they should have all the optimism in the world heading into the Bubble.

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Orlando’s Roster For Season Resumption: Good times are ahead for “The Magic Kingdom’s team”

Nevermind their 7-26 record against teams .500 or better. This Magic team means business, and they play as hard as you could imagine any team fighting for their collective playoff lives.

Though undersupplied at pure superstars and bucket getters that can get theirs within isolation situations, this Magic team can still compete with ferosity on any given night, with much of their offense coming by way of their defense. Tough for ball handlers to get by, both Evan Fournier and Markelle Fultz man the frontcourt.

Fournier (18.8 ppg., 2.6 rpg., 3.2 apg., 1.1 spg), a former first-rounder out of France back in 2012, has taken over the role of being one of the reliable scoring options for a team that’s not too loaded offensively. He is shooting 45% from the field in his career, and 38% from three.

The Frenchman is a skilled guard who uses his strength and handle within the flow of the offense to effectively create his shot, and with the help of Fultz (12.1 ppg., 3.3 rpg., 5.2 apg.) and his ability to get to the rim both off cuts and off the dribble, it’s difficult for any opposing defense to stop the Magic’s backcourt.

At the Forward spot, it’s impossible to ignore the significance of Aaron Gordon’s continuosly improving game. His athleticism, explosiveness and dexterity to finish with both hands consistently was an already molded skillset the moment he walked in the NBA. Injuries have always plagued the former Arizona Wildcat, though he walks into Orlando with little ailment, ready to go.

Evident in what may have been his best stretches of games in his career, Gordon (14.4 ppg., 7.6 rpg., 3.7 apg.) went on a tirade after his disappointment in the Chicago dunk contest, posting averages of 15.4 points, 6.8 assists while shooting 47.7 percent from the field. To cap off his February, he dropped 27 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished 4 assists against the Brooklyn Nets on a career-best night for the six-year veteran.

In the other Forward spot lies James Ennis III (6.8 ppg., 4.1 rpg., 1.1 apg.), picked up in the trade deadline in a deal with Philadelphia. The scoring guard/wing hybrid has been a journeyman of sorts, now playing on the eighth NBA team in his career (well ninth, if you count the Perth Wildcats in the Austrailian National Basketball League). Though given a limited opportunity to showcase his expertise, he’s a pure shot creator and helps to stretch the floor with his 41.2 field goal percentage and 30.3 shooting percentage from deep.

He returns to the team after reportedly recovering from the Coronavirus, and looks to get right into team drills the moment he is given the ‘OK’ to do so.

Nikola Vucevic (19.5 ppg., 11 rpg., 3.7 apg., 0.9 bpg.) is the last starter for Steve Clifford’s Magic. As mentioned earlier, he’s not only a strong rebounder and unheralded pro that’s only earned one All Star selection in his career, but one of the more game-breaking offensive juggernauts in the NBA. As great as his footwork and strength are when he is on the block, he too can alter the way defenses play him with his ability to shoot the three-ball, with his fairly-efficient 32.9 three-point percentage.

Orlando has one of the more well-rounded rotations of all 22 teams heading into the bubble to restart the season. Starting off with former starter D.J. Augustin (10.4ppg., 2.2 rpg., 4.6 apg.), who openly accepted his relegation to the bench in favor of letting Markelle Fultz start over him,  Augustin is an experienced scorer who, though undersized, has the potency of taking over an entire offense, and especially so since he was the starter to begin the season. While running Clifford’s halfcourt sets, rarely does he ever turn over the ball, usually opting to the be the lead scorer when needed.

Alongside him is the established perimeter scorer Terrence Ross (14.8 ppg., 3.2 rpg., 1.2 apg.). He is an explosive leaper and slasher with a scorer’s mentality who also assists the Magic with his high energy on the defensive end, and he is just as capable of handling his business when it comes to scoring in 5-out sets.

Additionally, in the second unit lies talented wing Wesley Iwundu (5.3 ppg., 2.5 rpg., 1apg.) who is slightly consistent from deep with his hard-to-contest seven foot frame, but can certainly improve in his role as a 3-and-D wing, shooting at 31.3 percent. Forward/center hybird Gary Clark is also within the second shift of players, as he is a tenacious defender that can affect shots with his 6’6 frame. He is another 3-and-D piece who can draw out bigs to the perimeter as he shoots a little over 37 percent from three-land.

Lastly, first-rounder out of Texas and 7-footer Mo Bamba (5.5ppg., 5 rpg., 0.7 apg.) is a fan favorite who is known for being tree-like when guarding the rim, averaging 1.4 blocks per contest. In his second season, Bamba has also added a proficient three ball to his library, shooting a fiery 35.6 percent.

Other rotational pieces in Cliffords lineup include Michael Carter-Williams (7.2ppg., 3.3rpg., 2.4 apg) a talented point guard who, just like Fultz, is an advanced slasher with the amenity of legth and wingspan benefitting while standing at 6’6, center Khem Birch (3.8 ppg., 4.5 rpg., 0.8 apg.) who is a gifted shot blocker that is a hard-working glass cleaner when boxing out opposing bigs on the boards, and the returning Al-Farouq Aminu (4.3 ppg., 4.8 rpg., 1.2 apg.), who is an exceptional defender that uses his wingspan to his advantage while also finishing authoritatively at the rim as a dynamic roll man.

This roster can win some games during their (literal) eight-game homestand, and with the schedule they have, they’ll have the best chance of keeping their eighth seed in the East.

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Orlando’s Season, At A Glance

Looking at Orlando’s place in the East, and their official schedule heading into the bubble as the season restarts on July 30, it looks to be in their favor in terms of overall difficulty. Take a look.

Sure, there are some games here that are easier than others, but keep in mind that even though Orlando can lose their seeding, it’ll be entirely reliant on the others above and below them (Brooklyn, Washington) to catch up to them as well.

To start off, they’ll do battle with a team that is seeded higher than them in the seventh-seeded Brooklyn Nets, who yesterday may have lost another player in Michael Beasley and continue to be undermanned going into Orlando. After that game, they’ll play a Kings team that isn’t going to be without any of their core pieces, making up what should be an even and competitive matchup. A duel with the Pacers is up next, and the Magic’s gameplan may alter depending on the decision of Victor Oladipo and whether he wants to play or not. To finish off the first half of the schedule, they’ll have to play the Toronto Raptors, the team they were able to steal a win from in the first round of last year’s Eastern Conference playoffs.

To kickoff the second half, they’ll have two difficult games against Boston and Philadelphia. Orlando has yet to beat Boston this year, but Markelle Fultz was able to exact revenge on the team that let him go earlier in the season. They’ll finish the season going against the Nets one more time, and conclude their regular season with one final home game against Zion Williamson’s New Orleans Pelicans.

Within the two years that John Hammond has been an executive for the Magic (2018 to 2020), he’s shown that this franchise is a work in progress franchise.

But if their potential visit to the postseason for consecutive seasons for the first time since the Dwight Howard era is an indication of anything, this “process” is nearing its completion, sooner rather than later.