1. Nikola Vucevic looked sharp
Vucevic was in mid-season form, scoring 18 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, dishing out four assists, blocking a shot and coming up with a steal in only 25 minutes. In August, Orlando’s 7-footer became the fourth player in franchise history to score 30-plus points three times in a playoff series. The others to do it were Shaquille O’Neal (1995), Penny Hardaway (1997) and Tracy McGrady (2001, 2002 and 2003).
2. The Magic played at a fast pace
Playing more up-tempo helped the Magic last season become a better offensive team. From the start of the year until Feb. 9, Orlando averaged 98.1 possessions per 48 minutes, ranked 28th in the league in that time. After Feb. 9, they bumped that up to 101.3 possessions per 48 minutes, ranked 12th during that stretch. It’s just one game – an exhibition to be precise – but the Magic had 110.5 possessions in Atlanta on Friday. They scored 16 fast break points and turned 23 Hawks turnovers into 24 points.
3. Chuma Okeke is not afraid to take a big shot
This is quite interesting considering one of Okeke’s NBA player comparisons coming out of college was Robert Horry, one of the league’s all-time most clutch players. Orlando’s 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward drilled a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:27 remaining and then scored a layup after collecting an offensive rebound with two minutes left to push Orlando’s lead to four. Don’t be surprised if Okeke, the 16th pick in the 2019 draft, is one of the Magic’s best 3-point shooters this season.
4. Playmaking is key to Aaron Gordon’s game
Not in any way comparing them as players, but remember the leap Hedo Turkoglu made with the Magic when Stan Van Gundy turned him into more of an offensive initiator? It’s within reason to believe Gordon could transform into an elite point forward as well, which he has shown flashes of becoming the last couple seasons under Steve Clifford. Beginning his seventh season in the NBA, all with Orlando, Gordon has the tools to consistently create for teammates, which he demonstrated on Friday by handing out six assists in just 16 minutes. In his 11 games from Feb. 10 until the league’s play stoppage in March last season, the 6-foot-9, 220-pounder posted 17.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 6.7 assists. That’s the kind of production Orlando needs from him throughout 2020-21.
5. Adding Dwayne Bacon could really pay off
In Bacon, the Magic see some untapped potential. He has great size, a smooth offensive game and is an underrated defender. He may simply have been underutilized in Charlotte. His preseason debut with the Magic went extremely well, as he made his first five shots and finished with 14 points in a starting role.
6. Markelle Fultz looks poised to take another step
Again, it’s just a preseason game, but there was a lot to like about how Fultz played on Friday. He keyed Orlando’s 22-4 run in the third quarter with his energy, vision and aggressiveness. The 6-foot-4, 209-pound point guard scored five of his 10 points and dished out three of his four assists in that period. It was in the second quarter when he knocked down his one 3-pointer of the night. That’s the area of his game that everyone has their eyes on. If he develops a reliable outside shot, the sky’s the limit for the 22-year-old.
7. The Hawks are a big mystery in the East
The most active team in free agency this past offseason was the Hawks, who signed Danilo Gallinari, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Rajon Rondo. It will be interesting to see how those three established veterans blend in with Atlanta’s young core. Friday was also the Hawks debut for Clint Capela, acquired by Atlanta from Houston at the trade deadline last season. The Hawks should pile up a lot of points. The big question is whether they will be good enough defensively to climb up the standings. They ranked 28th on that end of the floor in 2019-20.
8. Cole Anthony has the right attitude
Anthony gave himself a poor grade when asked by a reporter following the game how he would evaluate his own performance. The Hawks outscored the Magic by 20 when he was on the court. He made three of his 10 shot attempts and finished with seven points. Anthony, the Magic’s 15th overall draft pick last month, has the right approach, though. He is willing to do whatever it takes to turn himself into a great player and help his team win. As Clifford and his teammates have stated, Anthony is a tireless worker and someone who truly loves the game. Those are prerequisites to become a great player, and Magic fans should be excited about his long-term potential.
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December 12, 2020 at 11:16PM
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