From Worst to First: The 2023 Orlando Magic

December 14, 2023

Orlando Magic Beat Writer Adam Koffler talks about the State of the Orlando Magic through 23 games in the 2023-2024 season.

Through 23 games last season, the Orlando Magic were just 5-18. At one point, they had lost nine straight. Oh, how the tides have turned in just one year. This season, the Magic are 16-7 through 23 games and own the third-best record in the Eastern Conference. They even turned that nine-game losing streak from a season ago into a nine-game winning streak in the early going this season.

Much of their success at the start of the 2023-2024 campaign has come in front of the home crowd at the Amway Center. They're technically 11-2 at home, but that counts the Mexico City game vs. Atlanta. So in reality, they're 11-1 in Orlando to start the season. Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley sees the value of the home crowd and even goes as far as to recognize their support on a nightly basis.

Speaking of Mosley, he was named Coach of the Month in November for the job he's done to start the season. But in pure Coach Mosley fashion, he gave all the credit to his staff and the players. That's been a consistent theme with Mosley this season. He's always giving credit to his coaching staff and the players, and rightfully so. That being said, Mosley himself has done a heck of a job captaining the ship this season and throughout his tenure. He's given this team a real identity for the first time in a long time.

Winning with Defense

Per NBA.com advanced stats, the Orlando Magic have the third-best defensive rating in the league at 108.7. Only the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets have a better defensive rating this season. Last season, the Magic finished 18th in defensive rating at 113.7. So what's changed?

First and foremost, Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Isaac, or as Cole Anthony calls them: "the heads of the snakes on the defensive end." I asked Anthony and Paolo Banchero about the team's defensive effort in their win over Toronto on November 21 in which they turned them over a season-high 23 times just one game after the Raptors racked up 44 team assists against the Pistons.

Cole responded with, "We strap up, simple as that. We all take pride." Anthony also mentioned that "Mose has instilled in us that we can be the best defensive team in the league." Paolo Banchero followed that up by saying this team has a "special connection out there on the defensive end." It's abundantly clear that everyone on the team has bought into what Coach Mosley continues to preach.

Mosley calls it "Magic Basketball." That means "defending at a high, high clip with guys covering for each other [on the defensive end]." It's contagious, and you can really feel the camaraderie and joy these guys play with on a nightly basis.

Player Spotlight

Some teams have one, two, or maybe three guys that take a leap in a given year. The Orlando Magic have at least five guys playing the best basketball of their career to start the 2023-2024 season. The fruits of their labor are easy to see and have led this team to a 16-7 record through 23 games. Let's talk specifically about a few of these guys and how they've developed their game the most.

Paolo Banchero

It starts with Banchero, the first overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. In his rookie season, the Magic had no choice but to throw the Duke product right into the fold. He played nearly 34 minutes per night, averaging 20 points, 6.9 boards, and 3.7 assists per game. While that's really solid production, he's improved in many areas of his game this season. Not all of them show up in the stat sheet, but some do.

He's shooting 49% from the field compared to 42.7% last season. He's become a threat from beyond the arc, shooting 38.9% this season compared to just 29.8% as a rookie. After shooting 4-5 from deep against the Nuggets, he talked about how that was a point of emphasis for him this summer.

With Markelle Fultz out of the lineup for most of the season, Banchero has also started to operate more with the ball in his hands. He's become an all-around playmaker in addition to just being a scorer. He's averaging 4.5 assists and 8.6 potential assists this season compared to just 3.7 assists and 6.9 potential assists last season. The game has started to slow down for Banchero this season. It certainly helps to have teammates you can trust to make the right cuts and knock down shots.

Franz Wagner

Wagner is quietly averaging career-highs in points (20.6), rebounds (5.7), and assists (3.7) in his third season with the Magic. While he's had some early-season struggles from beyond the arc (30.4% 3PT), he's become a very impactful all-around player.

Of guys who have played 17+ games this season, Wagner has the 25th-best Player Impact Estimate (PIE) of 13.7. PIE is an advanced NBA stat that measures a player's overall statistical contribution against the total statistics in games they play. Other players with a 13.7 PIE this season include Chet Holmgren, Evan Mobley, and Kyrie Irving. In comparison, Wagner's PIE last season was just 11.0. Other players with a PIE of 11.0 last season included Norman Powell, CJ McCollum, Zach Collins, and Larry Nance Jr. That's a noticeable difference in company.

And he's been heating up just as the weather cools down:

Jalen Suggs

We've mentioned Suggs already, but he more than deserves his own spotlight in this article. While his tenacious defense gets talked about regularly (and rightfully so), he's greatly improved on the offensive end of the floor as well. Like Banchero, Suggs made it a point to improve his 3-point shooting. After shooting 21.4% and 32.7%, respectively, from beyond the arc in his first two seasons, he's now up to 37.1% this season. He's also improved at the free throw line, shooting 82.1% from the charity stripe.

But it's his heart and hustle that makes Suggs a special player for this Orlando Magic basketball team. Cole Anthony mentioned seeing how hard Jalen plays on the defensive end makes him want to go out there and guard. It's contagious with this team, and it starts with players like Suggs who want to be great on the defensive end.

Cole Anthony

Anthony agreed to a three-year, $39M extension with the Magic ahead of the 2023-2024 season. Believe it or not, he's averaging the fewest minutes per game of his career in his fourth NBA season. But his production in those 25 minutes is more valuable than ever. With Suggs now in the starting lineup, Cole has become the "leader" of the second unit, and he's embraced it.

He has a career-high 12 PIE this season compared to 10.6 two seasons ago when he averaged a career-best 16.3 points and 5.7 assists per game. He's taking good shots, shooting at a high clip, and has shown improvements on the defensive end.

As a result of his improved play on both ends of the floor, Anthony currently has the fourth-best odds to win the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award at +650 behind just Austin Reaves (+270), Tim Hardaway Jr. (+290), and Immanuel Quickley (+550).

Joe Ingles

Speaking of guys in the second unit, Joe Ingles has been a revelation for this young Magic team. You might not know it just by looking at the stat sheet, but the 10-year vet has been everything this team has needed as they learn how to win and handle success. Orlando Magic Daily contributor Muzammil Jumani wrote an in-depth piece about the value of Ingles.

He's playing less than 19 minutes per game this season, but he's making all the right plays and getting everyone involved when he's on the floor. Not only is he shooting over 40% from the 3-point line, but he's averaging a career-best 6.7 assists per 36 minutes. And while off the floor, Ingles has provided everything this team needed to turn the corner this season.

Goga Bitadze and Moritz Wagner

Not many people outside of Orlando had even heard of Bitadze coming into the 2023-2024 season. The 24-year-old, 6'10" center from Sagarejo, Georgia was originally drafted by the Indiana Pacers in 2019. He played sparingly from 2019 to 2022, with stints in and out of the G League. Still, he always produced when called upon. And he's doing just that (and more) for the Magic this season.

When Wendell Carter Jr. fractured his hand in Utah back on November 3, Bitadze took over as the starting center. Coach Mosley elected to roll with Bitadze in the starting unit to keep Moe Wagner aligned with the second unit. It's worked out perfectly. Yet another reason Mosley is in the running for Coach of the Year in the early going.

In 18 games since the Carter Jr. injury, Bitadze is averaging 8.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.9 blocks in 24 minutes per game. Those are all career highs for the fifth-year big man. He's been an anchor for a top-five defensive team for a majority of games this season. And the team absolutely loves and appreciates the guys' effort.

But Wendell is expected back "soon." It'll be interesting to see what Coach Mosley does at the center position with three very capable guys. It's going to be very hard to put Goga back on the bench and hardly play him after contributing in a big way to the team's 16-7 start.

Now, let's talk about Franz's big brother Moe for a minute. His minutes are similar to last season, but he's become much more efficient with his opportunities. For one, he's taking just 1.7 3-point attempts per game this season compared to 2.9 last season. As a result, his FG% has jumped up to 62.4% from 50% a season ago. He's operating more in the paint, has been fantastic on pick and rolls, and is having a ton of fun out there on the court with the second unit.

I asked Coach Mosley about Goga and Moe after they both stepped up in different ways against the Nuggets and Celtics in late November. He called the Magic a "by-committee" team, noting each guy is ready to step up when their number is called. He even mentioned Caleb Houston giving them so good minutes when called upon.

Looking Ahead

It's easy to see how and why this Orlando Magic team has been successful through 23 games. How they handle that success will be key as they make their way through the rest of the season. Remember, they're the fifth-youngest team in the league. Their youth will be tested over the next month, but if we've learned anything from this team, they'll be okay.

14 of their next 18 games are against teams with winning records, and 13 of those 18 games come on the road, where the Magic are just 5-5 this season. I believe this stretch between December 15 and January 17 will show us if the Orlando Magic are contenders or pretenders for the 2023-2024 season. Are they a fringe play-in team, or are they truly a top-five or top-six team in the Eastern Conference?

Coach Mosley currently has the third-best odds at +320 to win NBA Coach of the Year behind just OKC's Mark Daigneault (+250) and Minnesota's Chris Finch (+300). The job he's done the past three seasons can't be overlooked. And it's culminated in the success this team is finding this season. Some of his key messages before and after each game include:

• "We do it by committee"
• "We celebrate each other"
• "Defense first"
• "Guys covering for one another"
• "Continuing to focus on what we do"

As you can tell, he's instilled a sense of "we" in the team and he has the guys playing for one another and celebrating each other's successes. At the end of the day, the Orlando Magic will lock down on the defensive end. Their goal is to be the best defensive team in the NBA this season and beyond. And it all starts with Coach Mosley's incredible leadership.

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