This might effectively be the season the Orlando Magic lastly break out.
It’s just one video game, however the Magic flaunted their capacity in their 125-121 season-opening win over the Miami Heat. Versus a group that has actually traditionally controlled the Southeast Department– the Heat have actually won the department in 12 of the 21 years of its presence– Orlando revealed what its efficient in with 3 of its gamers scoring a minimum of 23 points.
Whether it was its star duo of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner– 24 points each– or its huge offseason acquisition in Desmond Bane, the Magic every bit appeared like among the very best Eastern Conference groups its anticipated to be in its season opener.
The group was plainly stimulated by the return of beginning point player Jalen Suggs, who was making his very first look considering that January. Suggs had perhaps the greatest effect of any gamer on the Magic, publishing 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field in simply a little more than 16 minutes of playing time.
” He’s a game-changer,” stated Bane of Suggs after the win. “He made a huge shot on offense, a huge take on defense. He’s the body and soul of this thing. Without him, we ‘d still be a great ball club. However he’s a guy that actually puts us over the top.”
To top all of it off, he published a game-high +15 plus/minus ranking and his effect was seen on a significant level by his colleagues. For viewpoint, Orlando went 21-26 last season without Suggs in the lineup and 20-15 with him in the lineup.
” His energy to get the crowd included regularly was huge for us,” stated head coach Jamahl Mosley after the video game.
While they have actually been a yearly playoff group over the last few years, the Magic’s Achilles heel has actually been their absence of three-point shooting. It’s not simply that it’s been bad, it’s the truth that Orlando was actually the worst group in the NBA in treys made and in three-point performance last season.
They likewise ended up dead last in treys made throughout the previous season and have actually never ever ended up greater than 15th in 3-pointers made in the Mosley age. Bane– who is a profession.410 three-point shooter– revealed why he is anticipated to enhance the Magic’s three-point shooting and why he’s expected to be the distinction maker in a group wanting to break through the glass ceiling.
The Magic especially did some damage in two-man circumstances including the pick-and-roll with Banchero and Bane. It’s something they’ll likely lean on greatly as they display their brand-new star-studded (and healthy) lineup.
They’ll certainly have some things to tidy up progressing after permitting the Heat to leave to a hot start, with Miami scoring 39 points in the very first quarter. Nevertheless, it’s most likely a one-game mirage as the Magic led the NBA in defense last season and began decreasing the speed as the video game advanced, permitting just 82 points for the rest of the method.
The Magic ranked 28th in scoring last season with 105.4 points per video game. They revealed huge enhancement in their season-opening win versus a group that might be their greatest competitors from within the department.
” It’s truthfully the very first time I have actually remained in a pick-and-roll circumstance with someone that’s feared more than me,” states Bane. “I believe we’re getting precisely what we desire. The very first play of the video game, I struck him in the pocket and he makes a play. I believe organizationally we have some things we can tidy up. However I believe it’s something that we can certainly go to and grow off of.”
Although they have actually won the department two times in each of the previous number of years, the Magic have not won a playoff series considering that the Dwight Howard age back in 2010. Part of that involves how stacked the Eastern Conference has actually remained in current years, with the Boston Celtics regularly ending up deep in the playoffs.
This time around, the Celtics are annihilated due to Jayson Tatum’s healing from an Achilles injury and the Indiana Pacers are compromised as they handle Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles injury from the 2025 NBA Finals.
Moreover, the Magic are healthy– it’s something that they didn’t have last season. Banchero, Wagner and Suggs just played in 6 video games together last season.
If all 3 of those guys are healthy integrated with the addition of Bane, the Magic might effectively threaten for Eastern Conference supremacy with the present juggernauts in the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York City Knicks.
They’ll be wanting to alter their absence of playoff success this season.
” The expectations are interesting,” states Banchero of the Magic going into the season as Eastern Conference competitors. “The pressure is interesting. It’s a benefit for individuals to have high expectations for your group. We wish to accept that.”
Source: Forbes.
