81. Magic Raptors Final 3/17/24. 111. 38. Finale. 96
The Orlando Magic’s first half of Sunday looked like a carbon copy of their victory Friday against the Toronto Raptors. The rematch seemed to result in the same issues with attention to detail and execution. The Magic didn’t seem to be able to crush the pesky Raptors, leading by five at the break despite a 10-point lead.
One thing the team probably felt comfortable with coming out of the locker room: Their starters had their backs. They would get off to a good start to the second half and put some distance between themselves and the struggling Raptors.
Their starters would almost certainly save the day.
And it was throughout a decisive third quarter that the match turned into a near rout.
Whether it was Paolo Banchero driving down to the rim or creating space for his favorite jumper at the elbow. Or if it was Jalen Suggs snatching the ball from under the basket on one end and running to the other end for a three. Or if it was the Magic dismantling zone defense, even without the comfort of the 3-point shot.
The Magic starters were going to put their mark on the meeting. It’s something they’ve done throughout these playoffs.
They did it again against the Toronto Raptors in a 111-96 win to open an eight-game homestand at the Kia Center on Sunday.
Orlando’s starters opened the game with an 18-8 score to take a 10-point lead. It would evaporate with sloppy play and frustrating shooting, but the Magic maintained their lead all the way to the locker room during the half.
The Magic then started the second half with a 9-1 run to take a five-point lead to 13. The Raptors never really made an effort to get back into the game.
The Magic starters got the job done.
“I think we’re very comfortable right now,” Banchero said after Sunday’s victory. “We get along really well. Everyone can space the floor. Everyone can shoot threes. And everyone is very versatile on defense. Everyone is interchangeable and switchable. I think on both sides, that makes us helps a lot. I think we all know each other. Others pretty well now, we know if this guy is successful, if this guy is successful or if this guy has a game, let’s create whatever advantage we can.”
In Sunday’s game, the Magic starters won their minutes 33-22, with a success rate of 56.5% in 12.3 minutes on the floor. They posted an offensive rating of 122.2 and a defensive rating of 81.5 in just over one shift together.
This is how the Magic drew a line between themselves and the Raptors. They dominated the minutes where the starters faced each other.
It wasn’t just Banchero who scored 29 points and made 11 of 16 shots, including four of seven from three. Or Franz Wagner adding 22 points. The Magic had just four players in double figures during a strangely quiet and frustrating offensive night.
That’s because Orlando’s starting group locked down Toronto’s defense and put a stranglehold on the game every time the team was on the line. The Magic’s 35-26 third quarter proved to be the biggest difference in the match. It started with what the starters did right out of the locker room.
“That’s what we continued to ask them to do and what they take responsibility and ownership for,” coach Jamahl Mosley said after Sunday’s win. “Coming out of the locker room the right way, making sure we do it on the defensive end first. Our coaches do a great job at halftime seeing the adjustments, understanding what we can do best. We have a lot of opening looks tonight that didn’t fall in. But these are the looks you want to achieve, trust in the past and trust in each other.
It wasn’t just the start of the second half, which the Magic dominated during their three-game winning streak. Orlando’s starting group has done this for much of the season since they started playing significant minutes, especially after the All-Star Break.
The lineup of Jalen Suggs, Gary Harris, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter has a net rating of +19.6 in 165 minutes over 12 games. The group put up an offensive rating of 117.3 and a defensive rating of 97.7.
They are the third most used lineup this year, behind the back-to-back win lineup with Goga Bitadze and Anthony Black and the original lineup with Markelle Fultz. While both of these lineups have positive net ratings, neither is as devastating as the current starting group.
In fact, among the Magic lineups that have played at least 48 minutes together this season, only two lineups have an excellent net rating: the bench lineup with Anthony Black instead of Markelle Fultz and the typical transition lineup with Gary Harris and Franz Wagner with Jonathan. Isaac, Moe Wagner and Cole Anthony.
Clearly, this initial group worked very well together. And the numbers show it. The puzzle pieces of this group fit together.
“I think we are really good defensively,” Franz Wagner said after Sunday’s victory. “We have five guys who fight a lot on that side of the pitch. We also have some very smart players. It’s always a very good combination. And on offense, just try to move the ball. Obviously, Paolo draws a lot of d “attention on the field. We’ve done a really good job of learning to play on that.”
The Magic have actually opted for this formation since the All-Star Break. With the exception of a few absences, this is the group that the Magic relied on the most to get through this part of the season. And Orlando had success – remember Suggs sat out the two qualifying tests last week against the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers.
The Magic are 9-0 entering this group. It’s a range that simply works.
Even in an ugly game like Sunday against the Raptors.
The Magic struggled to make shots, hitting just 11 of 36 3-pointers. Suggs struggled early and played limited minutes because of it (not that Orlando really needed him).
But Orlando locked down defensively and it didn’t matter that the three didn’t fall. The Magic were still in control.
What works about this group is that they are all committed defenders and can play the versatile style the Magic prefer. It also helps that Harris and Suggs can spread the floor with Carter under center. And that’s with Banchero and Wagner anchoring the team and coming down to collapse the defense.
The group works and it’s about as good as the Magic can put together. And they seem to get better as their continuity and mutual comfort increases. All of these players seem to fit into a key piece of this puzzle.
So far, no one has been able to stop him after the All-Star Break. The starting lineup is the anchor of team success.
Orlando Magic have learned the key to consistency for the playoffs. dark. Following. Key to consistency for the playoffs 03.16.24
With the Playoffs on the horizon, teams are relying more and more on their starters. It appears Orlando has a starting group it can rely on.
