By John Denton | Nov. 9, 2015
INDIANAPOLIS – Sure, coach Scott Skiles is a bit biased when talking about the exploits of Orlando Magic players, but statistics back up his glowing praise for Victor Oladipo’s sticky defense thus far.
According to NBA.com’s stats data base, Oladipo came into Monday night’s game in Indiana holding the specific players that he’s guarded to 35.9 percent shooting from the floor. That’s even more impressive when considering that he’s faced elite shooting guards Bradley Beal, Jimmy Butler, Eric Gordon and DeMar DeRozan so far.
And Skiles said if Oladipo can keep up that defensive pace for an entire season he could ultimately be honored by the NBA.
“In my opinion, he’s playing at an all-league defensive type of level right now because he’s guarding different guys,” Skiles said, referring to Oladipo’s versatility and ability to check point guards, shooting guards and small forwards. “Within our system, not only one-on-one is he very good, but he’s defensive rebounding it as well, he’s in the right spot, he’s one of our best players at stunting and recovering. And he’s stays in play, he doesn’t give up and he challenges shots. Defensively, he’s playing at a very high level right now.”
Oladipo’s individual improvement is a big reason why Orlando has been one of the NBA’s most improved defensive teams. The Magic ranked 28th in the NBA last season in field goal percentage allowed (46.3 percent) but they have jumped to fourth in the league this season (41 percent) heading into Monday’s game.
“A lot of that (defensive improvement) is a credit to Coach Skiles and his schemes and concepts defensively and holding us accountable as well,” Oladipo said. “The biggest thing for me (defensively) is getting after people, making it uncomfortable for them and trying to make everything difficult.”
According to NBA.com, Shabazz Napier is tops on the Magic in limiting the shooting percentage of foes, holding them to 26.7 percent in limited playing time. C.J. Watson (38 percent), Tobias Harris (38.4 percent), Dewayne Dedmon (40 percent), Aaron Gordon (42.6 percent) and Evan Fournier (45.5 percent) all have shown major improvements in smothering foes on the defensive end of the floor.
MARIO’S FAMILIARITY: Monday’s night game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse offered something that has been very much in short supply thus far for Magic rookie Mario Hezonja: familiarity.
The game in Indianapolis was his second there counting the Magic’s preseason game versus the Pacers back on Oct. 8. Not counting the Magic’s home court at the Amway Center, it was the first time this season that Hezonja has played in an arena for the second time.
All of this NBA stuff is still very much new to Hezonaja, Orlando’s prized 20-year-old rookie from Croatia. Hezonja once visited the U.S. as a teen when he was playing a basketball tournament in Charlotte, but otherwise this is his first circuit throughout America. And, more importantly, it’s his first time playing against players in the NBA who he is going against on a nightly basis.
Hezonja, who is averaging 4.9 points and 1.1 rebounds in seven games, said he’s tried to keep his focus on his own game and not worry so much about the competition he’s facing. As for traveling throughout America, Hezonja insisted that he’s so focused on basketball that he’s rarely ventured outside of the team hotel during roadtrips.
“I’m not even thinking about (new cities and new opponents) and I just want to play the game and enjoy it,” Hezonja said. “I love being here with these guys and the coaching staff, so I don’t really think about this being a new city for me or it being a new gym. I really don’t care about this stuff too much outside of basketball.”
Hezonja has seen his playing time fluctuate because of a mini-shooting slump and some struggles, but he played his best game of the preseason on Saturday in Philadelphia. In addition to scoring 11 points in 12 minutes, Hezonja had a nifty drive in the second quarter of the game that impressed Magic coach Scott Skiles with the rookie’s understanding of what he’s being taught.
“He was good and right in front of our bench we ran a play for him and he came off a pin-down (screen) and he slowed down, took a dribble, was patient read the situation, shot it and made it as opposed to charging in there as he’s done on occasion,” Skiles said. “Anybody can see his ability, but it’s about him learning the NBA game. Like I told some friends of mine, most (NBA) buildings he’s never been in before and he’s playing against players that he’s never seen before, he’s in different environments and (dealing with) the sensory overload before games – all of that stuff is something that he has to get used to.”
ANOTHER BIG MAN HURT: A Magic team that is already without center Nikola Vucevic because of a bone bruise in his right knee didn’t have 7-footer Jason Smith available on Monday in Indianapolis. And considering how well Smith has played of late, that was a big loss for the Magic.
Smith accidentally banged knees with JaKarr Sampson late in the Magic’s defeat of Philadelphia on Saturday night while attempting to draw a charge. Smith played a major roll in the Orlando victory, scoring 10 points, grabbing five rebounds and blocking two shots. He also came to the rescue defensively after Orlando’s Dewayne Dedmon struggled to slow down 76ers big man Jahlil Okafor on the inside. Okafor had 19 points in the game, but only seven after halftime when Smith guarded him for long stretches.
“As a bench player you always want to come in ready to play and being in tuned with what’s going on in the game,” said Smith, who is averaging 5.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.83 blocks in 11.7 minutes a game off the bench. “You have to always make sure that you are paying attention because if you get your name called and you go in (the game) unprepared and not knowing what’s going or not knowing the coverages, coach isn’t going to have that trust in you. He’ll think you aren’t ready to go. So you just try to be ready in a moment’s notice.”
