The Orlando Magic open their NBA Cup run Friday night against the Toronto Raptors, but the tournament setting doesn’t change the bigger issue hanging over this team: they’re still trying to find themselves.
A 1-3 start, another rough showing against Toronto and a growing injury list have pushed the Magic into early-season survival mode. Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs are both out for at least the next two weeks, and Orlando is already dealing with the growing pains that come with a new coach and a new system.
Franz Wagner said the Cup game should only raise the level, not distract from it.
"It shouldn't. We need to play more intense anyway.
That should just add to the fire," Franz Wagner said of the NBA Cup game Friday after shootaround. "It's about improving on our performance from the last game and getting better with our principles and playing a lot harder."
That’s the tone around the team right now: no panic, but plenty of work left to do. The Magic are coming off a second straight 1-3 start, and the edges of the roster and the scheme still don’t look fully connected.
Some nights have shown what this group can be, like the second-half burst in the opener against the Atlanta Hawks and the win over the New York Knicks. Other nights have been ugly, especially the offensive struggles against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Raptors.
The biggest issue is that the offense and defense are both lagging. Through four games, Orlando sits 29th in offensive rating at 104.4 points per 100 possessions and 22nd in defensive rating at 115.2. Two of those games have already ended with the Magic scoring fewer than 100 points per 100 possessions, including Wednesday’s 99-point effort and a 98.0 points per 100 possessions mark in the loss to Toronto.
That’s a sharper drop than the team had in its 1-3 start last season, when it was still 15th in defensive rating at 114.4 and 22nd offensively at 108.1.
The early schedule has been tough, but that hasn’t explained everything away. The turnovers have piled up, too. Orlando ranks 28th in turnover rate at 17.6 percent, and the 20 turnovers Toronto forced in Wednesday’s win were the fewest the Raptors have created in a game this season.
Still, the Magic know the mess didn’t come out of nowhere. Sean Sweeney has spent training camp trying to get the team’s processes to become second nature, and he joked by the end of the preseason they were up to third nature.
Even then, it was obvious the roster was still fine-tuning things. Now the learning curve has spilled into the regular season.
That adjustment has shown up in the numbers and in the way key players have started. Wagner’s last outing was especially rough: seven turnovers, five assists, 15 points and 4-for-11 shooting. He did score 23 in the win over the Knicks, but he’s now shot below 40 percent in back-to-back games and is starting the season at 42.6 percent overall and 3 for 20 from three.
Desmond Bane has had his own uneven start. He scored 13 points on 3-for-12 shooting Wednesday and is taking far more threes, on pace for a career-high 9.0 per game, but he’s hitting just 27.8 percent from deep to open the season.
The frustration isn’t limited to the stars, either. The Magic know the problems are woven through the whole group, from execution to communication to the way they handle pressure. Friday offers a quick chance to see how much they learned from Wednesday’s collapse.
Anthony Black said the staff has made the game plan clear.
"I think it's pretty clear what we need to do to come out and win," Anthony Black said after shootaround Friday. "[Coach Sean Sweeney] and his staff do a very good job of being detailed with the game plan and doing a good job of telling us what we can clean up from our previous games. I feel like we are more prepared coming into this game."
That’s the task now for Orlando: clean up the mistakes, raise the intensity and keep the season from drifting while Sweeney keeps installing the way he wants this team to play. The challenge is already in front of him.
In Other News...
Celtics Already Look Tougher To Defend Than Last Season
Anthony Black gave Orlando a steady lift in its win over Toronto, pairing playmaking with efficient decision-making as the Magic kept finding enough offense to get over the line. Franz Wagner was just as important, carrying a heavy scoring load in a game where Orlandos balance stood out, and the result offered another reminder that the Magic have more ways to win when their young core is clicking.
The bigger test, though, is what comes next against a Celtics team that already looks like a tougher defensive problem than it was a year ago. Jayson Tatums 26-point night in Chicago came with the kind of two-way support Boston has been leaning on, from Payton Pritchards energy to Paul Georges contributions, and that depth gives Orlando a very different scouting report to work from when the matchup arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Magic Face Real Pressure After That Raptors Blowout
The Magic are heading back into an NBA Cup matchup with Toronto carrying the memory of a 30-point loss from their previous meeting, and the rematch arrives with a very different feel around the roster. Orlando has been forced to shuffle through three different starting lineups lately because of injuries, and the lack of continuity has made every adjustment matter a little more as the group tries to steady itself in a tight tournament setting.
Desmond Banes shooting looms as a bigger part of the equation this time, especially with the offense searching for reliable spacing and rhythm. Sean Sweeney may have another lineup decision to make, too, with Tristan da Silva a possible fit next to Franz Wagner as Orlando looks for a combination that can hold up better against Toronto and avoid another night like the last one. [Read more 🡒]
Magic Face A Brutal Test In NBA Cup Opener Against Toronto
The NBA Cup opener gives Orlando an early measuring stick, and Toronto is a tough place to find one. The Raptors have leaned into defense and transition offense, and that style has already given the Magic trouble, especially when turnovers start piling up and the pressure ramps up on the perimeter. RJ Barretts strong first-half play in the previous meeting was part of what tilted the game, and it underscored how quickly Toronto can seize control when Orlando gets loose with the ball.
For the Magic, the bigger concern is whether the offense can generate clean looks against a team that has been sharp from deep in recent form. Orlandos shooting efficiency has been a lingering issue, and the injury situation only makes the margin for error thinner as the Cup schedule begins. The matchup sets up as a difficult one for the Magic, with Toronto carrying the edge on paper and a chance to make another early statement if Orlando cannot tighten up its execution. [Read more 🡒]