The Orlando Magic don’t have a whole lot of guys that can really hurt teams from outside the arc, as they have just 2 guys hitting 35% or better from downtown, who put up just 2 or more from out there.
Teams today love to drag defenses outside of the paint, which makes it a much wider played game.
But it doesn’t look to be working here for the currently 8th ranked team.
Without several threats from deep, the Magic are really wasting their time with what they are trying to accomplish. A huge problem is, former #1 draft pick, Markelle Fultz, taking more shots when he is open but now OUT for this year with an injury. They still have Aaron Gordon and Cole Anthony. There is no threat outside besides Terrence Ross and Evan Fournier.
Nikola Vucevic plays rugged in the low block, but he pulls doubles probably 70% of the time – because their PG refuses to shoot the ball. Orlando needs to get some real shooters, guys who aren’t afraid to put up the ball, so Vucevic can get more opportunities in the post. Teams aren’t scared of Fultz when he is outside of 10 feet, knowing he won’t put up anything out there, so the doubles on Vucevic continue. Fultz has to change his mindset – if you miss the shot, you miss – but if you start knocking a couple down, teams will be forced to come out and guard him.
A dominant big who knows how to play like a big, and dominate down low is far tougher than a big playing like he is a SG. Don’t get me wrong, a big-man who has the ability to stick an odd three now and then, keeps a defense honest and on their toes. But, give me a 20-23 ppg center who bangs and attacks down low, pulls defenses, and draws fouls is awesome to watch.
Putting Vucevic in the post would create better shot selections – he is a threat in the post, and instantly draws attention. The skill and size of Vucevic is something other bigs find very hard to defend if he starts really hammering it home around the rim. Regardless of what the new trend is, bigs banging around paint, closer to the rim works.
It always has, and it makes men out of boys.
Especially for a big like Vucevic who is very strong – he can spin on the post and get up with power, and the more he stays down low. The low post game today can still be effective, guys who play back to the basket, and develop an interior game – but still randomly shoot a three now and then.
Vucevic shooting almost 5 threes /game isn’t helping the Orlando Magic in any aspect, he really needs to be posting up, down low, dominating the lane. Chucking up threes isn’t helping Orlando Magic when the 6-10 center is only hitting 32% from deep. He can’t grab boards from behind the arc – he needs to park himself in the lane, he already corrals 11rpg – but he can really punish other bigs down low, and get even more second chance possessions, or shots down there, if he stayed home even more.
I understand in today’s game, it’s getting stretched out way beyond the arc, creating tons of space for quick guys to cut in around the rim.
But, I would love to see a battling big that’s just nasty and rough down low. A guy who just smashes and bangs on offense, bodies up on defense, making anyone who dares to drive, think twice about slashing to the lane. Lets see how teams could handle Nikola Vucevic if he started doing that. What the Magic do for the remainder of this year is a mystery, but if they can knock down open jumpers, and Vucevic stays home more, it will only help the team who is currently off to a 6-4 start this year and hoping to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.
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