Fixing what is actually wrong with the Orlando Magic
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010Although plenty of other NBA observers have expressed their concerns regarding the current performance of the Orlando Magic …
A Quantitative Look at the Orlando Magic’s Four All-Stars
much of what’s been said to-date misses the mark completely, when it comes to diagnosing accurately:
#1. What’s been going on with Orlando in the last month [or so]?
and,
#2. What specific remedies the Magic will need to implement, in order to make their problems disappear for the balance of this season?
There are five simple [inter-related] player personnel moves which Stan Van Gundy needs to implement that will cure what is ailing the Orlando Magic at the moment:
1. Replace Jason Williams with Anthony Johnson as the exclusive primary Back-up Point Guard to Jameer Nelson.
2. Remove Matt Barnes from the regular rotation.
3. Shift Rashard Lewis into the Starting Small Forward position.
4. Shift Ryan Anderson into the Starting Power Forward position.
5. Use Brandon Bass in the Back-up Power Forward position.
What these five specific changes would do, in effect, is create a regular rotation which features the following Start Five:
Jameer Nelson, PG
Vince Carter, OG
Rashard Lewis, SF
Ryan Anderson, PF
Dwight Howard, C
in conjunction with the following set of Key Subs off the bench:
Anthony Johnson, PG
JJ Redick, OG
Mickael Pietrus, SF
Brandon Bass, PF
Marcin Gortat, C
and the following list of Reserves/Extras/Outs:
Jason Williams, PG
Matt Barnes, SF
Adonal Foyle, C
Move #1
With a healthy Jameer Nelson [PG] in their everyday line-up, an erratic player like Jason Williams [PG] is not the right fit with their team, in a primary back-up role, in comparison with a more consistent player like Anthony Johnson [who is a much better defender and rebounder than J-Wil, at this stage of their respective careers].
Game Log for Anthony Johnson in Orlando’s Last 13 Games
|
Regular Season |
FG |
3PT |
FT |
Rebounds |
Misc |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Date |
Opponent |
Score |
GS |
Min |
|
M |
A |
Pct |
|
M |
A |
Pct |
|
M |
A |
Pct |
|
O |
D |
T |
|
Ast |
TO |
Stl |
Blk |
PF |
Pts |
|
|
Jan 18 |
@ LAL |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
|
Jan 15 |
@ POR |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
|
Jan 13 |
@ DEN |
0 |
06:23 |
|
1 |
2 |
50.0 |
|
1 |
1 |
100.0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
||
|
Jan 12 |
@ SAC |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
|
Jan 9 |
ATL |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
|
Jan 8 |
@ WAS |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
|
Jan 6 |
TOR |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
|
Jan 5 |
@ IND |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
|
Jan 2 |
@ CHI |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
|
Jan 1 |
@ MIN |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
|
Date |
Opponent |
Score |
GS |
Min |
|
M |
A |
Pct |
|
M |
A |
Pct |
|
M |
A |
Pct |
|
O |
D |
T |
|
Ast |
TO |
Stl |
Blk |
PF |
Pts |
|
|
Dec 30 |
MIL |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
|
Dec 25 |
BOS |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
|
Dec 23 |
HOU |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
|
|
W-L |
5-8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Game Log for Anthony Johnson when playing +10:00
|
Regular Season |
FG |
3PT |
FT |
Rebounds |
Misc |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Date |
Opponent |
Score |
GS |
Min |
|
M |
A |
Pct |
|
M |
A |
Pct |
|
M |
A |
Pct |
|
O |
D |
T |
|
Ast |
TO |
Stl |
Blk |
PF |
Pts |
|
|
Dec 21 |
UTH |
0 |
12:00 |
|
1 |
2 |
50.0 |
|
0 |
1 |
0.0 |
|
2 |
2 |
100.0 |
|
0 |
2 |
2 |
|
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
4 |
||
|
Dec 19 |
POR |
0 |
25:15 |
|
3 |
10 |
30.0 |
|
1 |
4 |
25.0 |
|
2 |
2 |
100.0 |
|
0 |
6 |
6 |
|
3 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
9 |
||
|
Dec 17 |
@ MIA |
0 |
24:12 |
|
2 |
6 |
33.3 |
|
1 |
2 |
50.0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
5 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
5 |
||
|
Dec 16 |
TOR |
0 |
24:46 |
|
5 |
9 |
55.6 |
|
1 |
3 |
33.3 |
|
2 |
2 |
100.0 |
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
4 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
13 |
||
|
Dec 14 |
IND |
0 |
27:14 |
|
6 |
11 |
54.6 |
|
1 |
3 |
33.3 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
1 |
3 |
4 |
|
7 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
13 |
||
|
Dec 11 |
@ PHO |
0 |
19:54 |
|
4 |
10 |
40.0 |
|
1 |
3 |
33.3 |
|
2 |
2 |
100.0 |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
11 |
||
|
Dec 10 |
@ UTH |
0 |
11:48 |
|
1 |
2 |
50.0 |
|
0 |
1 |
0.0 |
|
2 |
2 |
100.0 |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
||
|
Dec 8 |
@ LAC |
0 |
21:46 |
|
2 |
4 |
50.0 |
|
1 |
2 |
50.0 |
|
1 |
2 |
50.0 |
|
0 |
4 |
4 |
|
4 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
||
|
Dec 5 |
@ GSW |
0 |
11:22 |
|
2 |
4 |
50.0 |
|
1 |
2 |
50.0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
||
|
Dec 2 |
NYK |
0 |
21:16 |
|
1 |
2 |
50.0 |
|
0 |
1 |
0.0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
1 |
5 |
6 |
|
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
||
|
Date |
Opponent |
Score |
GS |
Min |
|
M |
A |
Pct |
|
M |
A |
Pct |
|
M |
A |
Pct |
|
Off |
Def |
Tot |
|
Ast |
TO |
Stl |
Blk |
PF |
Pts |
|
|
Nov 29 |
@ NYK |
0 |
11:36 |
|
1 |
3 |
33.3 |
|
0 |
1 |
0.0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
||
|
Nov 28 |
@ MIL |
0 |
13:05 |
|
1 |
3 |
33.3 |
|
1 |
1 |
100.0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
||
|
Nov 26 |
@ ATL |
0 |
21:08 |
|
6 |
10 |
60.0 |
|
3 |
5 |
60.0 |
|
2 |
2 |
100.0 |
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
17 |
||
|
Nov 20 |
@ BOS |
0 |
14:52 |
|
0 |
3 |
0.0 |
|
0 |
1 |
0.0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
1 |
3 |
4 |
|
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
|
Nov 18 |
OKC |
0 |
19:30 |
|
4 |
7 |
57.1 |
|
1 |
3 |
33.3 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
4 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
9 |
||
|
Nov 1 |
@ TOR |
0 |
11:17 |
|
1 |
1 |
100.0 |
|
0 |
0 |
N/A |
|
2 |
2 |
100.0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
||
|
|
W-L |
13-3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Move #2
Although Matt Barnes [6-7, 226] has proved to be an energetic player over the course of his NBA career, right now he is not a “good fit” with the Magic, given his specific skill-set [i.e. 3FG%=28.6; Ast:TO=1.0] and considering the other guards and forwards on their roster.
Move #3
Using a player like Rashard Lewis [6-10, 230] at the Starting SF position makes the Magic bigger at this spot … i.e. compared with Matt Barnes [6-7, 226] … while still retaining their collective ability to shoot the ball effectively from the perimeter [i.e. 3FG%=39.5] and make good decisions [i.e. Ast:TO=1.0] around a center-piece like Dwight Howard.
This move would then allow Mickael Pietrus to flourish, by providing Orlando with a much better scorer and defender coming off the bench, at this key swing position, instead of Matt Barnes.
Move #4
Ryan Anderson is a solid low-maintenance perimeter shooting Big Man who can stretch defense around D-12 and defend adequately: [i] on the perimeter against smaller players, and [ii] in the post against non-behemoth Power Forwards and Centers.
Move #5
Brandon Bass is an under-sized Power Forward who, on offense, works well in the mid-range area [i.e. FG%=53.1] and is able to hold his ground, defensively, and in terms of rebounding, against any Back-up PF. Unfortunately, to this point in the season, he is being wasted on the Magic’s bench with a series of DNPs.
—————————–
Magic Remedy, Part 1
If Stan Van Gundy makes these specific personnel adjustments Orlando will finish in 1 of the top 4 positions in the Eastern Conference, once again, and advance to the East Finals, against Boston or Cleveland or Atlanta or Miami, with a solid shot at returning to the NBA Finals this season.
Magic Remedy, Part II
What Stan Van Gundy also needs to do, however, is return to being the curmudgeon he has always been, not the giant “teddy bear” he has morphed into recently, in the aftermath of Dwight Howard’s request to “lighten up” on his routinely harsh criticism of his own team/players.
If Stan chooses to continue on his current path, then, Orlando will have very little chance of besting Boston, Cleveland, Atlanta or Miami in the playoffs this season.
This is not the sort of team that Stan Van Gundy can afford to “go soft on”.