The Orlando Magic are Really Good

It is time to talk about the Orlando Magic and how good they have been since the National Media won’t. The hottest team in the NBA is the Orlando Magic, winning 7 in a row and 8 of their last 9. The Magic are currently in second place in the Eastern conference and in the past week beat the Celtics and Nuggets. Paolo just won player of the week averaging 23 5 and 5 and is a start of the recognition of this young team. But, at 12-5, you would think that traditional media sites like ESPN and Bleacher Report would be talking about the Magic like they talk about teams like the Cavs, Bucks and Heat but they have somehow gone under the radar this season. The Magic are one of the few home-grown teams that have actually developed their young talent and are refreshing story knowing that you can actually build a team through the draft. Jamahl Mosley has developed his team into a top 5 defensive unit, forcing the most turnovers per game.

The first thought people probably have regarding the team record is that Paolo has taken that second year leap and has led the Magic to this record. While it is true Paolo has gotten better and more efficient, the Magic have another star in the making. Franz Wagner is quietly becoming one of the top wings in the league. Franz can do it all on both ends of the floor. He can shoot, blow by you and facilitate. Both Paolo and Franz are averaging 20 points per game and switch off nightly on who leads the team in scoring. Even though I despised both of these players in college, they are becoming budding stars in the NBA.

The guard play of the Magic has been great to see. If you like college basketball you know their entire guard rotation. Jalen Suggs has become one of the best on-ball defenders in the NBA. His perimeter defense is textbook. Cole Anthony got his rookie extension this offseason and I thought he would be the odd man out of the surplus of guards the Magic have. However, Cole has found his role as the Magic’s sixth man and has been more than just a scorer. Cole has played great basketball and had 30 7 and 7 last night. Mix in the Magic’s first round pick Anthony Black and Markelle Fultz, and this Magic guard rotation is a nightmare for opposing Point Guards.

The rest of the Magic rotation are a bunch of grizzly veterans with a chip on their shoulder. Gary Harris, Jonathan Issac, and Joe Ingles have all been so solid off the bench. The coolest part about this team is the revitalization of the two bigs that were on their way out of the NBA. Mo Wagner and Goga Bitadze have both played some great ball since Wendell Carter Jr. has been out with an injury. I can talk about the Magic all day and I hope that they can continue to win games and Mosley can be in contention for Coach of the Year in April. But what I want most is for the National Media to put some respect on Orlando’s name.