Orlando Magic
The 2019-20 Orlando Magic can be defined by the fact that the Magic completed an exact redux of the 2018-19 season, down to winning the first game of their first round playoff matchup before losing four straight.
What did we learn?
Expectations really are everything and the Magic were exactly what we expected them to be: good but definitely not great; sometimes bad but usually not terrible.
The Magic were stout on defense again with the 7th-best Defensive Rating in the league. But on offense? They got worse, stinking to high heavens with the 2nd-worst Offensive Rating in the entire NBA. Orlando did not score over 100 points until the eighth game of the season. There was a second half where the Magic scored 33 total points. There was a first quarter where the Magic scored nine points. NINE.
But there was also a stretch in late February/early-March where the Magic offense took off and it was Over City. Right before the season was postponed, the Magic hit the Over in 12 consecutive games! The Magic were 25-4 when they scored over 110 points. The issue was finding consistent offense and shooting.
Vooch and Air Gordon’s average per-game numbers both took a slight dip.
Nikola Vucevic:
2018-2019 20.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, 36.4% from 3.
2019-2020 19.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, 33.9% from 3.
Aaron Gordon:
2018-2019 16.0 points and 34.9% from 3.
2019-2020 14.4 points and 30.8% from 3.
On several occasions, the T-Ross Flamethrower off the bench was taken out for a spin. Yet Terrence Ross’s numbers dropped a smidge as well. There just wasn’t any progress made here, except in the case of Mr. Quick Wash himself.
The Return of Markelle Fultz was a pleasant surprise, a joy that made us smile during his prospering moments. There might not be a more herky jerky player in the league, and Fultz uses that madness effectively. He still seems timid at times but there was immense progress. Fultz played in 72 out of 73 regular season games, the most of any Magic player. Fultz was the most dependable player on the team!
On the very unfortunate side of things, The Lanky Jonathan Isaac suffered not one but two serious knee injuries, one on January 1st that caused him to miss 30 games, and a torn ACL in the bubble in just his third game back.
Mo Bamba did not really improve at all, although he did play more games this season. Bamba can hit a couple of threes and block some shots, but he’s far from being anywhere close to living up to the #5 pick in the draft.
The Magic made the playoffs as the #8 seed with a record seven games below .500 thanks to playing in the Junior Varsity Eastern Conference. Without Aaron Gordon, Jonathan Isaac, Al-Farouq Aminu and Mo Bamba, it was commendable and downright fun that the Magic beat the Bucks in Game 1 behind 35 points from Vooch and 16 made three-pointers as a team. We never really thought they stood an actual chance. Four games later they were gone fishin’.
Last year, the Magic’s season and playoff berth was considered a successful breakthrough. This season of the exact same result was just… meh.
Expectations really are everything.
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What are the answers to our Season Preview Final Questions?
Can Steve Clifford get this group to find the same magic (sorry) as last season when their 17-win improvement was the best in the league?
Yes, Steve Clifford was able to get this group to find pretty much the same exact magic as last season, finishing around .500 as a bottom seed in the Eastern Conference with a quick first round playoff exit for the second straight season.
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Would our preseason Over/Under prediction have hit?
We are feeling UNDER 41.5 wins (51% winning pct) but this is a tough call in the Junior Varsity Eastern Conference.
2019-20 Magic final record: (33-40) 45% winning percentage
YES, our preseason Over/Under prediction would have hit!
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What’s Next?
To find some offense. Steve Clifford, as he often does, has a defensive-oriented team with a limited ceiling due to a lack of consistent scoring.
Get Jonathan Isaac healthy!
Play Air Gordon more at power forward! Gordon played a lot better at the 4 than the 3.
Evan Fournier has a player option for the 2021 season and the Frenchman actually posted some of the most efficient numbers of his 8-year career. Fournier is decent but has a limited ceiling.
At #15 in the draft, Cole Anthony could bring some more shooting off the bench for the Magic. If not shooting, we would advise the Magic to look for a play-making ball-handler.
Chuma Okeke, the #16 pick in last year’s draft from Auburn, will join the Magic roster after sitting out this entire season recovering from a torn ACL.
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Favorite Magic Highlight from the 2019-20 Season:
Air Gordon a real one.
