MIAMI — No offense, but this hasn’t been much of an offense.
Indeed, the Magic’s offense ranks 28th in the NBA in scoring (101.0), which is a problem because Orlando is 0-16 when scoring less than 100 points.
Part of the problem is an injury/sick list that is long enough to fill an NBA rotation — with a few players left over. In fact, 13 of Orlando’s players missed Sunday’s 93-83 loss at the Miami Heat.
The Magic held the Heat to just 40% shooting from the floor and 29% on 3-pointers, but Orlando could not take advantage due to its own lack of firepower, too many turnovers and a failure to clear enough defensive rebounds.
“We got a ton of open looks,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley insisted.
The problem, then, is that the Magic players aren’t good enough to knock down those open looks on a consistent basis, which explains why Orlando is off to the poorest 34-game start in franchise history, tied with the 1991-92 team at 7-27.
Things aren’t likely to get better soon as the Magic will play host to the reigning NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks twice in a row, on Tuesday and Thursday, at Amway Center. There’s a road back-to-back with the Boston Celtics and Chicago to open 2022, and a home date with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The next soft spot on the schedule is a trip to play the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 8. The Magic and Pistons (5-27) have the two worst records in the league.
But while Mosley’s team is a near lock to finish with the Magic’s third straight losing season, that doesn’t mean progress can’t be made.
Orlando’s free-throw shooting, which ranks 15th in the league at 77.5%, indicates that perhaps the Magic is not a team comprised of all bricklayers.
In addition, Hassani Gravett — signed to an emergency 10-day contract on Dec. 17 to help them deal with their now-six players on the COVID-protocol list and their seven injuries — has shown enough to at least consider signing him longer term.
Of the 11 Magic players who have started at least one game this season, Gravett leads Orlando in effective field-goal shooting (63.2%) which incorporates the higher value of the 3-point shot.
It’s a tiny sample size, but, in four games, Gravett has made 6 of 14 on 3s (43%), 3 of 5 on 2-pointers (60%) and both of his free throws.
He also has 11 assists and just 4 turnovers.
It will be interesting to see how — or if — Gravett figures into a backcourt that already includes Gary Harris and R.J. Hampton. The duo combined for 34 points on 13-for-25 shooting in Sunday’s loss.
Plus, point guard Cole Anthony, who sat out Sunday with a right ankle injury, should be back soon, and the same can said about wing Terrence Ross (COVID protocols). Anthony has missed 10 games on three different occasions after he injured the ankle at the end of a game Nov. 19.
Rookie point guard Jalen Suggs is getting evaluated every couple of weeks as he recovers from a fractured thumb on his shooting hand (right).
No one knows where Gravett will be by then, but he certainly hasn’t looked out of place in his NBA trial run, which is a credit to the Magic’s G League staff in Lakeland.
“Coach Joe [Barrer] does a great job with the Lakeland Magic, staying connected with what we’re asking of these young men,” Mosley said. “As soon as [G-League players Gravett, Aleem Ford, B.J. Johnson and Admiral Schofield] walked in, from film work to on-court activity, the plays we want to run offensively, and, defensively, how we want them to guard ....
“They have stepped right in and [have] taken on the challenge.”
Gravett said it helps that he went through training camp with many of these Magic players.
“I feel comfortable with them,” he said. “I’m just trying to do what’s asked of me. I’ve been waiting for my moment, when my name is called, to step up to the plate and handle business.”
