Coach Jamahl Mosley’s mantra has been easy when the Orlando Magic have handled injury-related absences: Next man up.
It’s the cliché response practically each coach offers however has been very true for the Magic (4-9), who’ve had 5-7 gamers sidelined due to accidents for every recreation.
With rookie ahead Paolo Banchero, the group’s main scorer, sitting the final two video games due to a sprained left ankle, that’s meant extra taking part in time — and a beginning position — for third-year ahead Chuma Okeke.
He’s capitalized, particularly defensively, and was a key motive the Magic slowed down star wings Luka Dončić and Devin Booker in Wednesday’s win over the Dallas Mavericks and Friday’s victory over the Phoenix Suns.
“You talk about a young man who’s willing to step in and be as versatile and guard any position — he’s done that,” Mosley mentioned. “He’s taken on the challenge. He’s done a great job of stepping into his role.”
It isn’t a coincidence Dončić and Booker had their worst taking pictures performances towards the Magic with Okeke as their major defender.
His defensive versatility helped him stay a constructive contributor even when his offensive manufacturing waned.
“With him having long arms, very mobile, really good moving his feet, I think that’s what gives him that advantage,” Magic huge man Wendell Carter Jr. mentioned of Okeke. “He’s big enough to guard guys who like to post up but quick enough to guard some of the guards. He has a really good defensive IQ. He knows guys’ tendencies and makes them do things they don’t want to do.”
The Magic’s gameplan towards Dončić was easy even when the execution isn’t straightforward.
“Pressure him,” Okeke mentioned, “and make nothing easy.”
The mission was completed, with Okeke being a major motive why.
Okeke spent 25.9 partial possessions guarding Dončić, based on the league’s official matchup information, which was probably the most on the group.
Although Okeke’s individually credited with holding Dončić to 2 factors on 1-of-4 taking pictures, the stats don’t totally seize his affect.
Okeke guarded Dončić full courtroom and picked up the 1-on-1 strain as soon as they crossed half courtroom, forcing him to work and use vitality to get to his spots which additionally took time without work the shot clock.
At 6-foot-7 and 229 kilos with a wingspan of seven ft, Okeke has the bodily instruments to match Dončić’s physicality. That helped Okeke not quit an inch of house within the publish or on the perimeter with out being blown by on drives.
Okeke does nicely with shadowing gamers’ actions and being energetic along with his arms, poking the ball free, reducing off potential passing lanes and making ballhandlers uncomfortable.
This was evident when Okeke knocked the ball out of Dončić’s arms on a dribbling sequence within the fourth quarter with 5 seconds remaining on the shot clock and 4:19 remaining on the sport clock with the Magic main 89-83.
Off the ball, Okeke navigated by way of screens nicely so Dončić wasn’t comfy on the preliminary catch, forcing him to work extra to create a bonus.
The end result was Dončić, who averages 33.6 factors, scoring 24 factors on 9-of-29 taking pictures to go together with 6 rebounds and 6 assists towards the Magic to finish his streak of consecutive video games scoring no less than 30 factors to start out the season at 9.
“He has a great knack for getting after the basketball,” Mosley mentioned, “so he keeps guys a little bit off balance and guessing.”
The Magic’s gameplan for Okeke was related towards Booker: Provide full-court strain, keep connected on screens and don’t let him get comfy.
It labored once more, with Booker, who averages 26.7 factors, being held to 17 factors on 6-of-19 taking pictures.
“Chuma has the size, he moves well, he’s strong — the combination of those things help make him a really good defender,” Terrence Ross mentioned. “Makes him very versatile. His activity and energy slowed everybody down. He played great on Booker. He made it a point to get him uncomfortable and he did it. That was big time.”
Even when Dončić or Booker acquired the perfect of Okeke — which all nice gamers will irrespective of the defender — they needed to work onerous for these photographs.
“It’s so important — wearing guys down, picking them up full court, getting into their bodies early [and] applying a ton of pressure,” Mosley mentioned. “Chuma’s done a great job of that.”
Although he was the first defender, Okeke wasn’t the one motive for the Magic’s success towards Dončić and Booker.
They switched most ball screens they have been concerned in, usually leading to Carter, Jalen Suggs, R.J. Hampton or Bol Bol ending possessions on Dončić or Booker — and doing a superb job of it — after Okeke contained them early.
Individual defensive stats don’t present the complete significance of the early 1-on-1 strain Okeke introduced Dončić and Booker this previous week, however his affect was mirrored of their scoring numbers and effectivity.
“You’re not necessarily playing one-on-one,” Mosley mentioned. “Guy’s got to feel 1-on-5 and that’s a lot of what the switching provides.”
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at [email protected] or comply with him on Twitter at @khobi_pri
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Source: www.bostonherald.com