Orlando dropped three straight after Paolo Banchero – the team’s leading scorer and primary shot creator – went down with a torn right oblique. The expectation was that the Magic would fall off a cliff, at least until Banchero returned.
But reports of the Magic’s demise are greatly exaggerated — Orlando has won four in a row and sits in third place in the Eastern Conference at 7-6.
Two things are driving the improved play — and the first is what hasn’t changed: Orlando’s stifling defense. The Magic have the second best defense in the NBA, led by a very good transition defense. That is to keep the Magic in games. Then there’s Franz Wagner, who had the role of lead shot creator dropped on his plate, and he confessed to Josh Robbins of The Soccer Club which took him a while to adjust to.
“I think it’s a little bit of a mindset change for me, too,” Wagner said after Tuesday’s win over Charlotte. “The way I grew up playing was a lot off the ball and just taking really good shots all the time. Sometimes it’s good to make a mid-range shot and things like that. So, that’s something that hasn’t been ingrained necessarily, or hasn’t been taught. to me from a young age So, it’s a good challenge for me.”
During the Magic’s four-game winning streak, Wagner has averaged 27.8 points and six assists a night, both leading Orlando, plus he’s grabbing five rebounds per game. He’s still not a 3-point threat (29.6% during this streak) but he’s finding a comfort zone as a shot creator.
Orlando’s first three wins in that streak came against struggling teams in New Orleans, Washington and Charlotte. However, the last one against Indiana felt different, showing that this team could hang in an East where only two teams looked dominant (Boston and Cleveland).
The tests are coming. Orlando faces Philadelphia Friday in an NBA Cup game, then goes on the road for 4-of-5, including facing Phoenix and both Los Angeles teams.
However those attempts go, the Magic have shown they’re not going anywhere – this certainly looks like a top-six, maybe top-four team in the East. Doing so without Banchero for an extended period will be impressive.
