Overview: The Magic shot 14-31 from beyond the arc in a 110-100 win against the Cavaliers. The team got out to a double-digit first-quarter lead, and was never really threatened again. Dwight Howard led the Magic with 23 points, while Antawn Jamison led the Cavs with 22.
-Cavs-Related Bullets:
I understand that the Magic are a great basketball team. I understand that losing by 11 on the road isn’t all that terrible. I realize that the Magic love to shoot threes and are pretty good at making them. I understand that nobody on this roster has much of a chance at guarding Dwight Howard straight up. I understand all of this. But the Cavs’ defense is freaking embarrassing right now.
Again, 93 of the Magic’s 110 points came from the paint, the free-throw line, or beyond the arc. That’s about eight mid-range jumpers, and five of those mid-range jumpers were taken from Brandon Bass’ favorite spots on the floor. This is getting ridiculous. The Cavaliers are playing like the “Os” in the other teams’ playbooks right now.
When the Magic wanted open threes, they got them. Sometimes they had to force a double-team on Howard and make a few passes around the perimeter. Sometimes they used dribble-penetration to get wide open looks from deep. Sometimes they swung the ball from side to side and the Cavs would just stare at the guy catching it instead of running him off the three-point line.
If it weren’t for Mickael Pietrus, who literally does not know or care about the difference between open and contested three-pointers, the Magic would have shot 13-25 from beyond the arc. 13-25. And it wasn’t hot shooting, it was wide-open looks. That’s not a size thing, it’s not a talent thing, and it isn’t even that much of an athleticism thing. This team cannot just watch other teams play offense. They have to run guys off threes, get in their faces, force them to make plays, and take a few shots they don’t want to take, and they are not doing that. On every level, this team has to change the way it plays defense. Everything else is a lesser concern.
Other notes:
- Antawn Jamison: 22 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, assist, and block. A few threes, some pick-and-pop jumpers, and some finishes inside. Malkovich Malkovich. In all seriousness, Jamison has really improved as a spot-up shooter this season while losing some of his effectiveness inside, and that could be important: teams are going to want a forward who shoots 40%+ from beyond the arc at deadline time. Perception matters.
- Not really liking Joey Graham as a starter — there were some times when the ball would swing to Graham out of a nice set and he just wouldn’t know what to do with it. He’s not a confident three-point shooter, and he’s not athletic enough to get to the cup after one or two dribbles. I like his toughness and ability to post smaller guys off the bench, but he is not a solution in the starting lineup. This team desperately needs a wing who can really shoot the ball and run the floor.
- Give Anthony Parker for being automatic on catch-and-shoot threes. Give him little credit for everything else. And again, a heady veteran who happens to be automatic on open threes could be something teams want at deadline time. They won’t give up first-rounders for him or anything, but he could be a nice throw-in piece.
- Hickson is in a very deep funk. He has no confidence in the parts of his game he’s added this summer, and the ball isn’t moving enough for him to be effective cutting and dunking. Scott should try and get him going early against Memphis.
- Nobody expected Andy to do much offensively against Howard. I was impressed by his defense — Howard got his, but I’m not sure if he got any points against Varejao on straight post-up situations.
- Mo was left on an island and asked to do it all for much of the game. He finished with 20 points and 8 assists, but never really got into a groove, and had his share of forced shots and passes.
- The Cavs scored 44 in the paint and 100 overall, but it seemed like the Magic weren’t trying very hard on defense because they knew they were getting any shot they wanted offensively. That Sessions finished 6-8 from the floor and had six assists confirms this for me — an engaged Dwight Howard would get about 20 blocks playing against Sessions.
Well, that’s all for now. Memphis tomorrow. First fix the defense, then worry about everything else.
Maybe one shot was only half-way in the paint? ;)
Or maybe they had 111 and not 110 points…
I was expecting a 20+ point loss to Orlando. I think the Cavs did as much as they could with the talent they have. Yes, if Hickson wasn’t in such a deep funk it could had been a bit different, but as a whole, I was content with the Cavs game…
I will say this much Moe is playing much better D in this system
I think a lot of the problem starts with hickson. He isn’t confident, he doesn’t play solid defense and he is in a deep funk everywhere. If he had a decent game we could have won this. Get hickson going.
Totally agree, John. I am pretty surprised our defense has been so atrocious. In general, Byron Scott teams have had slow pace, and decent defenses. Sure, he had the benefit of having very talented defensive players like Kenyon Martin and Tyson Chandler, but it isn’t like he had a full team of them as evidenced by Peja and West. It is also surprising considering the Cavs’ defensive success during the Mike Brown years. One would think that some of that effort would stay in the minds of the returning guys. Obviously, the majority of the problem lies in the absence of LeBron, West, and Z. For all the grief Z got for being so slow, he became a very effective defender as evidenced by his advanced stats. We are also playing Hickson and Jamison at the four which is just devastating as both are horrible defenders. Jamison is actually playing decent defense by his standards at the moment, but Hick as been too eager to forget all of Mike Brown’s hard taught lessons. Andy is doing the best he can trying to single handedly keep the ship afloat, (and succeeded for a stretch against Howard) but it will be a long season for him if he can’t get any help. And unfortunately our wing players are either too slow (Joey and Parker) or out of position (Moon) to get any consistent stops out of them. Every passing day, I am more annoyed that we fired Mike Brown and lost Ferry. The fans might have liked the idea of a new coach and all of that nonsense about becoming a “running team” (Bryon’s teams have never played fast) but in reality, a team this short on bigs and wing talent has too play suffocating help oriented D. If Brown were still our couch, I could imagine a last year ‘s Rockets type team, though admittedly we don’t have anyone who can defend like Ariza or Battier.
I’m ready to abandon this season if we can’t pick up the defensive energy. I can see that John is too considering the trade talk. I’m on board with unloading basically anyone other than Mo, Andy, Boobie, and Hickson, but JJ is getting close to getting into trade status for me. He doesn’t rebound, loses the ball in traffic, travels at least once a game, and doesn’t understand rotation defense. He is young and given the right situation could be a cheaper Amare(who also could be described in the same way), but I am losing patience.
Man, I miss having a great team.
not even a month into the season…just 15 games and we have people losing patience? guess a great team over the past years spoils us big time. Not sure what people expected out of this group…theyre an average group that will get exposed by great teams even good ones…the Magic are a great team and thus beat us accordingly…yes the defense looks bad but we dont have the guys doing their jobs right now…
One thing I will say about JJ is that i think he’s not basketball smart at all….this kid shouldve stayed at least 3 yrs in college…his stats werent all that incredible even in the ACC….he just doesnt understand or comprehend much and tries to skate by on athletic ability…id rather have guys who maybe arent the most athletic but work hard and try to improve..i dont buy this talk about ‘being in a funk’…JJ can be very good but he’s not smart and the mental part is just as important as the physical..
Im not gonna abandon the season because its way too early and too young right now..see how we are heading into the New Year…if same problems still persist…we have may issues….but i think this team will try hard and get better but will be average…confidence is great but i cant see this team being above avearge unless all the guys overachieve like crazy…