Magic’s Offense Still Stuck in Neutral - and Now the Defense Can’t Bail Them Out
For a brief moment Thursday night, the Orlando Magic looked like the team fans have been hoping to see.
Desmond Bane initiated the possession with a skip pass to the corner, finding rookie Tristan da Silva. The Hornets’ defense was scrambling, a half-step late.
Da Silva attacked the lane, drawing help, and kicked it out to Anthony Black on the wing. Black drove the closeout, collapsed the defense even further, and found Bane again, now wide open for a clean look from three.
It was textbook. Quick decisions, smart spacing, multiple paint touches, and a wide-open jumper - the kind of offensive sequence coaches dream about and fans replay in their heads after the game. It was a glimpse of what this Magic team is capable of when the pieces click.
But that moment faded quickly.
After that opening bucket, the Magic missed their next nine shots. Charlotte took control early, jumping out to a 15-6 lead before Black finally broke the drought with a three.
And while the game wasn’t decided then and there, the tone was set. The Magic’s offense never found a rhythm, and the result was another frustrating night on that end of the floor.
Orlando failed to crack 100 points for just the fourth time this season - their first sub-100 performance since Jan. 9 against Philadelphia. The final offensive rating? A sluggish 102.1, their fifth-worst mark of the year.
This isn’t just a one-off. It’s a trend. And the Magic know it.
Banchero Voices the Frustration
“If we want to be a contender or whatever you want to call it and play deep into the playoffs, we have to go out there and be different,” Paolo Banchero said postgame, not mincing words. “We can’t just stay the same. Right now, it feels like we have the same issues as the past, and our defense is slipping, which makes it look worse.”
That’s the real concern. In previous seasons, the Magic’s top-10 defense helped mask some of the offensive shortcomings. But now, with that defense faltering, the cracks are fully exposed.
The Magic came into this season with a clear goal: evolve offensively. And in fairness, there’s been some improvement. Orlando currently ranks 19th in offensive rating at 114.1 points per 100 possessions - a modest climb for a team that’s lived in the bottom 10 since the post-Dwight Howard era began.
But that number is trending in the wrong direction.
Since Franz Wagner went down with an injury on Dec. 7, Orlando has slipped to 24th in offensive rating (111.6).
And it’s not just Wagner. Jalen Suggs has also missed time, and the absences have taken a toll on the team’s flow and spacing.
Still, injuries alone don’t explain the deeper issues.
The Magic rank 23rd in half-court offensive efficiency, posting just 96.1 points per 100 plays in those situations. That’s a problem, especially for a team with playoff aspirations.
Transition has been a bright spot - they’re up to 114.5 points per 100 possessions on the break, and they’re pushing the ball more frequently - but you can’t live in transition in the postseason. At some point, you have to execute in the half court.
And right now, Orlando just isn’t doing that consistently.
Shooting Woes and Stagnation
The Magic have cleaned up some things from last season. Turnovers are down.
Ball movement is up - they’re averaging 26.3 assists per game, up from 23.0 a year ago. That’s real progress.
But the shooting? Still a major issue.
Orlando ranks 28th in the league in three-point percentage, hitting just 34.0% from beyond the arc. And while they’re creating more potential assists (up to 44.9 per game), it’s not translating into efficient scoring. The ball is moving, but the shots aren’t falling.
This is where the frustration starts to pile up. Because we’ve seen this before.
“I think it is really similar to the last couple of seasons if you really look at it,” Banchero said. “Last year wasn’t a great season.
We had tough times and a lot of bad losses. The year before we won 47 games and had our best, but it is something that has occurred over and over again the last few seasons.
We have to figure out how to put an end to it.”
The Defense Can’t Save Them Anymore
For years, Orlando’s identity has been built on the defensive end. That’s what kept them competitive. But now, even that foundation is starting to crack - and it’s exposing just how much of a burden the offense has been.
When the shots don’t fall, it wears on a team. Miss after miss leads to transition opportunities for the opponent, and suddenly the defense is scrambling just to stay afloat.
“I think it’s a lot of things,” Banchero said. “I think offensively, not having a rhythm.
It’s hard for guys to come in and come back down the other end and try to get stop after stop if we are not scoring. It’s easy to say that.
But out there on the court, it’s hard.”
That’s the reality of the NBA. Offense and defense are connected.
Missed shots lead to missed assignments. Poor spacing leads to poor energy.
And when both sides of the ball start to falter, the frustration builds - especially for a young team still learning how to win consistently.
Time for Answers
The Magic aren’t lost. They’ve made real strides. But the offense - still inconsistent, still unreliable - remains the biggest hurdle between this team and the next level.
There’s talent here. There’s youth.
There’s potential. But at some point, potential has to turn into production.
And right now, Orlando’s offense is stuck in a loop it can’t seem to escape.
For the first time, the frustration is bubbling to the surface. And it’s coming from the top.
That should be a wake-up call.