At this level within the season, the Orlando Magic’s offensive needs are clear.
They need to assault the rim with the hopes these paint touches will result in environment friendly photographs: free throws, layups/floaters or kick-out passes for feet-set 3s.
These needs had been put to the take a look at in Tuesday’s 113-108 loss on the Memphis Grizzlies, who’ve one of many league’s stingiest paint defenses.
The Grizzlies received the matchup largely as a result of they blocked off the paint, disrupted Orlando’s photographs close to the rim and compelled the Magic to take jumpers.
The Magic’s 36 factors within the paint had been their fewest since they scored a season-low 32 of their Jan. 27 loss to Miami.
Orlando, which shoots 57.7% contained in the paint, shot 50% Tuesday.
The Magic, who averaged 30.6 3-point makes an attempt earlier than Tuesday, took a season-high 49, making simply 14 (28.6%).
Orlando’s excessive quantity of 3-point makes an attempt was partially skewed by the Magic searching for 3s late to scale back the deficit. The Magic took 7 3s within the closing 2:06.
“Got to give credit to them,” rookie star ahead Paolo Banchero mentioned to the Orlando Sentinel. “That’s what they baited us into. You go watch that game, the first half, they were just selling out every guy who drove. They [were] forcing the kick-out and kind of give up the catch-and-shoot 3.”
The Grizzlies’ technique labored, principally as a result of the Magic didn’t reap the benefits of the open seems.
Orlando made simply 11 of its 42 catch-and-shoot 3s (26.2%), in keeping with the monitoring information from the league’s official web site. The Magic are taking pictures 36.1% (8.4 makes on 23.2 makes an attempt) on catch-and-shoot 3s for the season.
For probably the most half, the Magic weren’t settling for 3s early on.
They drove into the paint and compelled the Grizzlies’ protection to break down earlier than kicking the ball again out to a shooter.
Those shooters didn’t convert the open seems, permitting the Grizzlies to pack the paint as a result of the Magic didn’t make them pay early.
Orlando, which made 2 of 11 on 3s within the first quarter, shot a mixed 27.3% (12 of 44) on “open” or “wide open” 3s.
“They were just packing it in,” guard Markelle Fultz mentioned to the Sentinel. “Those had been the open photographs. We obtained beauty. We simply didn’t make loads early. As we began to make a couple of of them, that opened it up a bit of bit. Shots simply weren’t falling early.
“Those are shots we want to take after collapsing the [defense] and kicking it out. Those are shots we all believe we can make and are willing to take.”
In a approach, Tuesday was one other instance of Orlando’s lack of constant 3-point taking pictures hurting them.
There had been sure possessions that the Magic might’ve stored the ball shifting to create totally different openings.
But not making the Grizzlies pay early for the open seems they had been keen to concede allowed Memphis to keep up its defensive form even when Orlando displayed good course of offensively.
“It’s hard,” Banchero mentioned. “Good groups like Memphis, that’s what they do. That’s how they game-plan. They pressure you into that. One of the keys is attempting to get extra ball motion. That’ll assist transfer the protection, open it up.
“But sometimes at the start of the games, you want to take those shots. You want to step in and shoot those 3s. When they don’t go down, it’s hard.”
And till the Magic present they will constantly make these open seems, the Grizzlies’ technique shall be one opposing groups deploy towards the Magic extra typically.
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