Orlando dropped three in a row after Paolo Banchero – the team’s leading scorer and primary shot maker – 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 death have been 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 didn’t change: Orlando’s suffocating defense. The Magic have the second-best defense in the NBA, led by very good transition defense. That’s what keeps the magic in games. Then there’s Franz Wagner, who was given the role of lead shot maker, and he admitted it to The Athletic’s Josh Robbins that took some time to get used to.
“I think it’s a little bit of a change in mentality for me as well,” Wagner said after the win over Charlotte on Tuesday. “The way I grew up playing was a lot off the ball and always making really good shots. Sometimes it’s fine to do a mid-tone shot and such. So that’s something that’s not necessarily ingrained or taught to me from a young age. So it is a nice challenge for me.”
During the Magic’s four-game winning streak, Wagner averaged 27.8 points and six assists per night, both of which led Orlando, plus he grabbed five rebounds per game. He’s still not a threat from 3 (29.6% during this stretch), but he’s finding a comfort zone as a shot creator.
Orlando’s first three wins in this series came against struggling teams in New Orleans, Washington and Charlotte. The last one against Indiana felt different, though, showing that this team could hold its own in an East where only two teams looked dominant (Boston and Cleveland).
The tests are coming. Orlando will take on Philadelphia in an NBA Cup game on Friday and then hit the road for 4-for-5, including facing Phoenix and both Los Angeles teams.
However these tests go, the Magic have shown they’re not going anywhere – this certainly looks like a top six, maybe a top four team in the East. Doing that for an extended period of time without Banchero will be impressive.