It didn’t take long for a player to record the first 50-point game of the NBA regular season. Orlando’s Paolo Banchero was on fire for the Magic on Monday, registering a near triple-double with 50 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists. Magic co-star Franz Wagner was forced out of the game early with an illness, prompting Banchero to hunt for offense early. By halftime, Banchero had already notched 37 points and was scoring from all levels of the floor. The visiting Indiana Pacers clawed their way back into the game in the third quarter but were held to just 17 points in the final frame by Orlando’s defense. The Magic improved to 3-1 on the campaign, and look like one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
The Magic weren’t going to surprise anybody this year. Orlando made the playoffs last year as the East’s No. 5 seed, improving their win total by 13 games from the prior season. Banchero is a former No. 1 overall pick who appears to be on an All-NBA trajectory. Wagner and guard Jalen Suggs are two-way players that have made strides offensively. The roster is filled with former lottery picks that have potential. They rounded out the starting lineup in the offseason by signing two-time NBA champion Kentavious Caldwell-Pope who added much-needed shooting.
All of the high draft picks and free-agent acquisitions don’t guarantee anything. However, the early results are impressive. Last season, the Magic won 47 games thanks to an elite defense that ranked 2nd in the NBA. They eventually were ousted from the playoffs by a more experienced Cavaliers team due to their limited offense. The Magic scored 83 and 86 points in the first two games of the series and managed just 94 points in Game 7 (all losses). Too much was asked of Banchero, and the role players were unable to make an outside shot.
It’s still early, but the offense looks massively improved this season. Banchero’s not going to score 50 every night, but his shot selection is getting better which will lead to better overall efficiency. One-third of his attempts this year are coming right at the basket, a full 10 percent higher than his career rate. More layups and fewer contested mid-range pull-ups. Banchero is 6-foot-10, 250 pounds with a strong handle. He should be able to get to the basket whenever he wants, and he’s done so thus far. The shooting numbers will regress, but the mentality of attacking the rim (he’s shot 52 free throws through four games) should stick.
What should also stick is Wagner’s improved three-point shot. The former Michigan Wolverine had a down year from beyond the arc last season. He shot 28 percent from three in the regular season and 26.5 percent in the playoffs. Through Orlando’s first three games this year, Wagner nailed 10-of-22 three-point attempts (45.5 percent). It’s a high mark but closer in line to the 35.8 percent he was converting through his first two seasons in the league. Wagner doesn’t need to become Ray Allen from beyond the arc. If he can hover in the mid-to-high 30s, it will vastly improve his offensive arsenal.
Suggs was rewarded with a hefty extension days before the season and looks to be worth every penny thus far. He’s shooting a blistering 45.2 percent from three, proving that last season’s 39.7 percent was not a mirage. Suggs is one of the best defensive guards in the game and forms a stingy duo with Caldwell-Pope. However, Orlando has the option to add a bit more creativity to their backcourt with second-year guard Anthony Black. Black is playing more as a sophomore and will continue to find minutes as long as he’s making shots (4-of-7 from three) and playmaking (3.8 APG).
There are so many configurations that head coach Jamahl Mosley can go to. This team also has one of the deepest center rotations in the league with Wendell Carter Jr., Mo Wagner, and Goga Bitadze. It will be intriguing to see how he handles his young group as they look to compete in the Eastern Conference. We haven’t even seen one of the best defensive players in all of basketball, Jonathan Isaac, make his season debut yet. The Magic will be a force to be reckoned with, and their improved offense should put the rest of the league on notice.
