Head Coach: Steve Clifford (2nd Season)
Record: 30-35 (8th in Eastern Conference)
All-Stars: None
Scoring Leaders: Nikola Vucevic (19.5 PPG), Evan Fournier (18.8 PPG), Terrence Ross (14.8 PPG)
Rebounding Leaders: Vucevic (11.0 RPG), Aaron Gordon (7.6 RPG), Jonathan Isaac (6.5 RPG)
Assists Leaders: Markelle Fultz (5.2 APG), D.J. Augustin (4.6 APG), Vucevic (3.7 APG)
Offense: 106.4 Points Scored/Game (27th)
Defense: 107.3 Points Allowed/Game (4th)
Key Wins: 76ers x2 (112-97, Nov. 13; 98-97, Dec. 27), Lakers (119-118, Jan. 15), Rockets (126-106, Mar. 8), Nets x2 (101-89, Jan. 6; 115-113, Feb. 24), Heat (105-85, Jan. 3)
Season Summary: The Magic currently hold the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference, and they’ve done it with defense. Orlando is allowing the fourth-lowest amount of points per game (107.3) in the league, and holding teams to just 86.6 field goal attempts per game, which ranks sixth in the NBA. They force 14.8 turnovers per game, 12th in the NBA, and do an excellent job at defending without fouling, with the third-fewest free throw attempts allowed in the league.
Third-year big man Jonathan Isaac was a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year before injuring his knee on January 1, but is not expected to be ready to return in Orlando. While Orlando’s depth may not rival that of other playoff teams, they have made up for it by slowing down the speed of the game. Head coach Steve Clifford has zigged when the rest of the NBA has zagged, as the Magic play at one of the slowest paces (26th) in the league. The Washington Wizards are the only team chasing them for the East’s No. 8 seed, and Orlando currently has a 5.5-game cushion for the final playoff spot while also owning the tiebreaker after winning all four games between the teams this season.
Memorable Moment: The most Magic moment of Orlando’s season came on Jan. 16, when Markelle Fultz put up a 21-point triple-double and hit two clutch shots in the final minute to help upset the Lakers in Los Angeles. Orlando held a 21-point lead at one point in the second half, and held on down the stretch for its biggest win of the season.
Player to Watch: Evan Fournier – The veteran guard is worth mentioning here, as he’s averaging a career-best 18.8 points on 47.0% shooting and 40.6% from 3-point range. He tied his career-high in scoring with a 32-point game against the Warriors on Dec. 1, and the Magic are 13-8 in games where the Frenchman shoots over 50% from the field.
