Although others additionally introduced it to his consideration, Orlando Magic second-year ahead Franz Wagner didn’t should be advised the place he wanted to enhance.
“One thing I got to get better at is rebounding,” Wagner advised the Orlando Sentinel throughout a dialog after the workforce’s Thursday follow at Georgetown University. “That was one of my focuses these last couple of weeks.”
Wagner’s concerted effort on rebounding has been evident within the field rating lately.
He averaged 5.8 rebounds in 33.2 minutes within the Magic’s earlier 9 video games getting into Friday’s highway sport towards the Washington Wizards (34-42).
Wagner’s averaging 4.1 rebounds in 33 minutes for the season and was accumulating 3.8 per sport in his earlier 66 video games earlier than the current stretch.
He grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds in a March 16 highway loss to the Phoenix Suns and Sunday’s house win towards the Brooklyn Nets. His four-highest rebounding video games have come within the final three weeks.
But his concentrate on rebounding extends past what reveals up in a stat sheet — which doesn’t at all times inform the total story.
What sort of rebounds are you grabbing? Are they contested, when opposing gamers are also chasing after the ball? Or are these straightforward ones whenever you’re largely surrounded by teammates?
Are you boxing out and stopping offensive rebounds? These performs don’t at all times result in particular person boards however may end up in a teammate ending the possession with a defensive rebound.
These are the areas the place Wagner has set his focus.
“Rebounding stats can say a lot but also they don’t say a lot,” he mentioned. “You can have six bad rebounds and miss two important rebounds or two important block outs and hurt the team that way. You can have two really good rebounds and it looks worse on the stat sheet, but those rebounds are actually more important. It’s just a more concerted effort on my part to go for some of those 50/50 ones.”
Although the bump in Wagner’s defensive rebounding is usually as a result of he’s getting extra uncontested boards, he’s additionally grabbing extra contested ones.
But extra essential than the rebounds he grabs individually, he’s becoming a member of the fray extra usually, which is essential for a Magic workforce that struggles with contested rebounding — rebounds the place an opponent is inside 3 1/2 toes of the rebounder.
Wagner’s 6.4 defensive rebounding probabilities over the past 9 video games are the workforce’s fourth-best mark. He was in the course of the pack among the many Magic’s rotation gamers earlier than this current stretch.
“There’s [a] skill to rebounding, but at my size, I don’t think you need great skill to be a solid rebounder,” the 6-foot-10 German ahead mentioned. “I’ve rebounded under common for my skill. I don’t suppose it’s a type of stats you take a look at a quantity and say ‘he’s a great rebounder’ or ‘he’s not.’
“You can have six really bad rebounds where you’re just standing under the hoop and somebody missed and nobody else is anywhere close to the ball. What does that really say about your ability to rebound? What every player should do is always box out, make sure that their guy or somebody who’s close to them doesn’t get the ball. Those are rebounds I want to get.”
While Wagner desires to enhance his and the workforce’s rebounding in visitors, uncontested rebounds matter, too — particularly for a workforce that depends on transition play to ignite its offense.
Wagner has improved at grabbing defensive rebounds and pushing the ball in transition.
Earlier within the season, smaller guards might trouble Wagner and gradual him down within the open ground after making use of on-ball stress.
Getting early-season reps towards these kind of defenses helped Wagner develop. He’s extra assured as a ballhandler, creating extra performs on quick breaks.
Said Magic coach Jamahl Mosley: “Being able to get the rebound, go and push the break and guys know where they’re supposed to be on the floor helps out a ton.”
Wizards guard Bradley Beal (left knee soreness) and ahead Kyle Kuzma (sprained proper ankle) will sit Friday. Washington middle Daniel Gafford (left foot soreness) is listed as questionable to play.
Jonathan Isaac (season-ending surgical procedure on his left adductor — inside thigh muscle) and two-way guard Kevon Harris (bone bruise in left elbow) are the lone gamers listed as out for the Magic (32-44).
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at [email protected] or comply with him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com