ORLANDO – One of the big differences between this season and last for the Orlando Magic is their play down the stretch of games. Whether the games are close or not – and many have been this season – the Magic have thrived in the fourth quarter in most of their contests so far, especially lately.
Here’s a stat that really accentuates that:
Since Dec. 1, the Magic are the only team in the league that has a top five offensive rating and top five defensive rating in the final frame. Over these 26 games, their offensive rating is 121.1, which ranks third, and their defensive rating is 107.9, tied for fourth.
Last year, just to emphasize the improvement, Orlando had a fourth-quarter offensive rating of 110.6 (ranked 16th) and a defensive rating of 111.6 (ranked 19th).
Now for the most stunning stat of them all:
So, the Magic have struggled with turnovers this season. They average 15.3 of them, which ranks 23rd. However, this has not been a problem in the fourth.
In fact, since Dec. 1, the Magic are averaging the fewest turnovers in the last period with just 2.6 of them.
It doesn’t stop there. There’s some more juicy stuff.
In this same timeframe, the Magic rank No. 1 in the fourth in points allowed in the paint. Opponents are averaging only 10.2 points in the paint in the last 12 minutes of regulation.
“I really think what it is, we are allowing the defense to spark the offense,” Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley said. “Coming down the stretch, getting stops, being able to get out on the break and get easy baskets. We talk to our guys about that a ton. Getting stops down the stretch, getting three stops in a row in order to get out on the break.”
What the Magic do extremely well defensively is keep their opponents on the perimeter. In the fourth since Dec. 1, opponents of the Magic are averaging the second fewest field goal attempts within five feet of the basket, while they are averaging the second most from 25 to 29 feet away. And on those long-distance attempts, they are shooting just 30.4 percent, the fifth lowest.
This is, without question, a winning formula. The best teams in the league last season, for instance, all prevented their opponents from getting a lot of shots off within close range. As a matter of fact, the five teams that held their opponents to the fewest shot attempts within five feet in 2021-22 were the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, and Milwaukee Bucks.
There aren’t many players better late in games than Franz Wagner, who in the fourth this season is shooting 46.2 percent on floor shots and 45.5 percent on 3-pointers.
“I think that’s why you play basketball,” Wagner said recently. “Those important plays, important moments – but I think to win a game is not just scoring the ball. I think you have to do a lot – a lot of small things as a group.”