Magic's big third quarter problem is wrapped up in this one stat
2015-16 has been a weird season, throughout the NBA and for the Orlando Magic. In fits and starts, the Magic are rounding into a competitive outfit under coach Scott Skiles. Currently, the Magic are 12th in the Eastern Conference, but at 5-6, they're just a half-game out of the playoff race in the early going.
If the team stays healthy and executes as Skiles asks, the Magic should be in the thick of the playoff race all season. Yet they've underachieved by some measure, thanks to fast first-half starts that have given way to collapses in the second half.
Just how bad are things in the third quarter? According to the Orlando Sentinel, the Magic were the best shooting team in the first quarter headed into the weekend. In the third quarter, they plummet to third-worst:
As a result, Orlando's overall offense is in the bottom ten of the league. On the bright side, the defense is ranked just outside the top ten. If the Magic can fix their offensive execution, a playoff berth other than eighth could be theirs for the taking.
Through the weekend, the Magic led the NBA in field-goal percentage during the first quarters of games, making 51.2 percent of their shots. But the Magic ranked 28th in field-goal percentage in the third quarters of games, making just 40.7 percent of their shots.
"I've never seen anything like it," coach Scott Skiles said. "A 27-team drop."
