The Orlando Magic have reached the halfway point of the regular season, and with games flying by at warp speed (didn’t the season start last week?), it’s a good time to take a moment to step back and look at some of the key storylines surrounding the team and what it all means for the second half.
Let’s start with the proverbial elephant in the living room: The situation with Dwight Howard. Before the season began, the game’s best big man announced he wanted to leave Orlando.
The Magic have elected to hold onto its six-time All-Star in hopes that he would have a change of heart. Essentially, nothing has changed. Howard continues to play at a very high level. He’s having a career year rebounding the ball (15.3 per game) and averages a career-high 2.1 assists per game.
With Howard on the floor, Orlando is, for the fifth straight season, one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference.
With the March 15 trade deadline approaching, what happens next with Howard hangs like a summer thunderstorm looming on the horizon. Will it hit the city full force, or will it skirt around Orlando and leave the Magic and its fans still basking in the sunshine?
I’m not sure anyone has the answer just yet, but assuming Dwight stays (and that’s really the only workable hypothetical at the moment), the Magic will continue to be a contender in the East. Here’s why:
Jameer Nelson is going to play better. Nelson is having the worst season of his eight-year career, and it is difficult to believe that, at age 30, his skills have dropped off to this degree. Injuries and, early on, the specter of the Howard situation, have impacted his play. Since returning from a head injury in early February, Nelson’s performance has improved markedly. If he can stay healthy, this trend should continue.
It is remarkable that with Nelson struggling, the Magic have still been able to win games at a 63 percent clip. One reason is the improved play of Ryan Anderson. The 23-year-old, fourth-year forward is having a breakout season.
A perfect fit for the “surround Howard with perimeter shooters” philosophy, Anderson is one of the league’s most feared 3-point shooters. He is also a relentless offensive rebounder (top 10 in the NBA), something the Magic have not had in the Howard era.
Anderson will continue to improve, and his experiences in close, late-game situations (i.e., his game-winning 3-pointer in Milwaukee on Monday) will only help prepare him for the pressure cooker of postseason play.
Another reason for Magic optimism is the improved play of J.J. Redick. Orlando’s most consistent performer, Redick is also having a career year. He plays intelligently and with great energy, hits big shots and thrives in pressure situations.
Glen Davis will also be a key for the Magic after the All-Star break. This has been a season of adversity for Big Baby: Traded to a new team. Dealing with the back-to-back deaths of his grandmother and his father.
With those tumultuous events now in his rear-view mirror, Davis should be able to concentrate on getting his game back into focus. His recent play has been solid, and he is the physical, complementary big man the Magic need alongside Howard.
A healthy Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu will also be important factors for Magic success. Richardson has been in and out of the lineup all season with injuries and illness, and Turkoglu’s game has been up and down.
When Hedo is good, more often than not, so are the Magic. When he struggles, the team usually struggles too.
The Magic are in position to be major players during the second half, pending the future of one very big piece to the puzzle.
