Orlando Magic have their very own death lineup!

Orlando Magic have their very own death lineup!

The Orlando Magic finally Unleashed their size and they have their very own death lineup it’s time to break it all down on today’s locked on Magic you are locked on Magic your daily Orlando Magic podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team every Day hey you are indeed locked on Magic today is February 3rd 2024 my name is Philip Ros Mich I’m the expert in site editor over orlandomagic.com course follow me on Twitter Philip rrd on today’s episode of Locked on Magic the Orlando Magic defeat the Minnesota timber rols 108 to 106 how

They finally unleash their size and created a death lineup that is going to devastate the league we’re going to talk about that plus the other part of that equation the problem the magic may not be able to solve we’ll get to that coming up on today’s episode of lockdown

Magic purose but first we want to thank you again for making lockdown magic part of your day every day no matter when you listen to us whether it’s first in the morning whether it’s when we upload we truly appreciate you making lockdown magic part of your day every day

Remember this great lockon podcast covering every single team in the NBA to search for lockon and the team you’re looking for the lockon podcast Network it’s your team every day from the moment Jeff Walman stepped in as president of basketball operations um there has been I don’t want to say a single

Guiding philosophy or a single guiding thing but there’s been a stereotype of what the Orlando Magic look for in players what the Orlando Magic are trying to build and who this Orlando Magic team is ultimately trying to be We’ve joked about it Jeff waltman’s joked about it he’s in on the joke

Too this theme is all about its size and its versatility but what does that really mean you know yeah we say oh the magic drafted another guy with long arms woo but what does that actually mean what does that actually look like what does that actually translate to in the midst of a

Game that has been the ultimate question because it’s one thing just to draft guys based on their physical attributes but to have a guiding principle to have a guiding philosophy to turn that into a functioning team that’s a another thing entirely and obviously the magic have gone through a couple iterations

But they think they have it down with the playmaking ability of poo banko the playmaking ability of fron vogner they want to be this versatile team that is about positional versatility but also about skill versatility and so it’s not just about length and size although that is a big part of the

Deal we have not yet seen this fully Unleashed on the league and fully Unleashed in this team some of that’s because there are just so many injuries this team is that deal with that we haven’t had a healthy roster to look at that to see that fully

Deployed well the magic are healthy now even Gary Harris is back in the lineup the magic can begin to look this way and Minnesota unfortunately found out what this magic team is building the Orlando Magic dominated the fourth quarter winning 28 to8 18 Jonathan Isaac played the entire

Quarter with the magic understanding and realizing how devastating he is defensively and ultimately the magic finished the game with what we can only describe as their death lineup quote unquote remember the death lineup the Draymond Green at Center lineup with Steph and clay and Andre Gala and how it

Would just devastate teams with their spacing and and and Crush teams with the decisions that they would have to make even though it was only for brief minutes and brief moments in games it became a matchup nightmare in the playoffs everyone’s been chasing a sort of death lineup since the magic now have

Theirs Jaylen Suggs fron vogner Paulo banero Jonathan Isaac wendo Carter the magic now have their own death lineup a lineup That is seemingly impossible to score on a lineup That slots players into these devastating roles into the ability to switch nearly one through five to defend at an incredibly suffocating

Level the magic got the lead against the Minnesota timber rols I mean they they had to fight for it they were down by as much as 17 in the first half they got the lead in the fourth quarter and for the final seven minutes they did not let

Go for the final seven minutes this group this death lineup dominated the game now sure the numbers will say that the magic only won those minutes 1513 um Minnesota did hit Elite 3 so it was really 1510 it’s not that it fully dominated the game but but Minnesota also didn’t score on them

Minnesota scored only 18 points in the final quarter they were five for 20 uh as our friends at lock on wolves will point out you know there’s maybe some frustration with the shot selection with Minnesota’s General stagnation you know you could certainly say Anthony black um or not Anthony black Anthony Edwards um

Was dealing with the D injury that he suffered late in the first half you could say all of that but you also have to knowledge that Jonathan Isaac shut down Carl Anthony towns you also have to acknowledge that the magic because they were able to switch because of their size were incredibly

Disruptive and yeah you have to acknowledge that the refs let a lot of physicality go and that’s kind of where the magic live that’s kind of where the magic want to dominate games the Timberwolves couldn’t find their way and this lineup had a lot to do with it

It’s not even really just about this lineup yeah 100 offensive rating not great 86.7 defensive rating that is good for the season though the group has played 19 minutes together with an offensive rating of 114.3 points for one possessions it’s pretty good and a defensive rating of 107.3 since Isaac returned from his

Latest injury on January 13th the group has played 15 minutes together with an offensive rating of 118 .8 and a defensive rating of 78.1 say what you want about everything else this group defends is just suffocating just just absolutely suffocating and of course that’s not that fron vager is a

Poor defender or wend Carter’s a poor Defender they they’re both really good Defenders pao’s gotten a lot better Jaylen is Jaylen Suggs a lot of this is because Jonathan Isaac just makes every defensive lineup work Jonathan Isaac is whatever multi- Lind animal you want to compare him to he is

Going to get stopped he’s going to be able to defend everybody on the floor and he’s gonna dig out and make big plays through the course of the game in fact Jonathan Isaac played 20 minutes in this game played all 20 minute all 12 minutes in the fourth

Quarter the magic couldn’t take him off the floor and it was it was obvious they couldn’t take him off the floor he was too impactful defensively and now that he is healthy or about as healthy as he can be now that he is healthy they can fully unleash him now that he’s

Healthy they can do lineups like this they can play lineups like this they can unleash their size and look Minnesota is a team that is specifically designed for the magic to play this way we’re going to talk about Markell folz and why he wasn’t the answer in this game coming up in a

Minute but the magic had to match Minnesota size with size and the fact of the matter is Minnesota’s probably one of the few teams that is bigger than the magic they’re one of the few teams in the league where the magic have to play this lineup and considering that the magic

Just took it to what is the first place team in the western conference it shows what they’re still capable of doing the magic have a death lineup how often they turn to it how much they lean on it whether it eventually starts I’m not ready to go there certainly in doses like

This teams aren’t going to be able to figure it out and that is a huge weapon the magic have as they get ready for this playoff stretch and eventually get ready for the play plays for this death lineup to work though the magic had to sacrifice something else we’ll talk

About why the magic couldn’t go back to markl folz we’ll get to that coming up here in just a moment we want to thank you again for making lockon magic part of your day every day for your next Liston be sure to check out the lockon sports today 20

247 streaming Channel on YouTube it’s the first 247 streaming Sports channel on YouTube you can check it out today here from local experts like myself as well as our national shows breaking down everything in the Sports World if it’s happening in sports it’s probably happening on the lock on podcast Network

And lock on sports today is your ticket to that world check it out today search for locked on sports today on YouTube so the magic have this death lineup they have this really great lineup that’s playing really really well Jon you know we’ll get to the box score

Here in a minute but Jonathan Isaac gives this team a new dimension obviously the the curse of depth is that you can’t play everybody the curse of depth is that yeah you you have a lot of depth you could count on a lot of different people but they gonna have to

Make decisions to close games and and the decisions a coach makes matter and look I know a lot of people are critical of Jamal Mosley’s rotations and some of his rotation decisions I will continue to tell you a lot of his thinking is about long-term stuff it’s about

Building the team that they’re going to be not necessarily the team that they are a lot of it’s about trust um look I think Anthony black needs to be in the rotation uh I’m not going to sit here and deny that he didn’t play in this

Game with Gary Harris back magic have a lot of things to juggle and a lot of things to Jumble a and and you know that’s a tough decision for Jamal Mosley but we got to give credit where credit is due the magic could have gone back to the original starting lineup that that’s

What convention would tell you to do but Jamal Mosley trusted Jonathan Isaac he saw that he wasn’t tiring he saw that he was playing really really well and that decision won them this game that decision completed this comeback and won them this game in the clutch moments he trusted Jonathan Isaac

And Jonathan Isaac delivered and the starters delivered with them uh and so again give credit where credit do I I I really do appreciate that despite whatever you might think about Jamal M’s rotations he has proven himself to be pretty flexible we have had coaches here

Who are not flexible who will go back to what they trust what they believe in no matter how the game is going regardless of how the flow of the game is going I I think you got to give Mosley a lot of credit for this decision it’s not an

Easy one it it may have been self-evident but you know again Jonathan is played all 12 minutes in the four fourth quarter that is that is not a typical thing it’s the second time he’s done it this season the magic Jamal MOS Le shows the willingness to roll with

What’s working and he’s done that throughout throughout the course of his his tenure so again uh I I I do appreciate that he is flexible enough to do that that he doesn’t have a set plan he’s going to go where the game takes him the other side of the coin though is

That the magic couldn’t go back to Markel Falls and if you watch this game at all you understand why and it’s part of the bigger question the magic have about fults that is coming into clear Focus now that we’re getting closer to the trade deadline now that that mythical time is

Here you know the magic have decisions to make they have not deadlines but they you know they have a deadline to make some commitments to this roster to certain players to retaining assets they are at that stage right now and they’re at that stage with Marco

Foltz Marco folz is a free agent this summer and so the magic do have a choice to make with him and right now it certainly looks and it certainly feels like Marquel folz is not the answer at point guard look folz had a solid game I want to

Make that clear we’re going to go go into the box score in a moment but Foltz had 10 points five for nine shooting five assists you look at those stats and you think that’s a pretty solid game for Marco folz you know only one turnover he’s not making a ton of

Mistakes and and and again we’ll Dive In The Box Score folz did good things I don’t want to sit here and pretend that Marco folz did not deliver Del for this team and did not do good you know did not give this team things that it needed but if you watch this

Game you saw the wolves do what I think a lot of teams are going to do with the magic and the playoffs especially they’re going to give the Tony Allen special they’re going to put their rim protector guarding marel folz and let him just roam the paint not really

Guarding anybody because Marquel folz isn’t much of a threat to shoot from the perimeter especially now look F still got some jumpers off and still got some shots in but he also passed on some jumpers that he has to take even if he misses it’s just about keeping defenses

Honest if the defense doesn’t think you’re going to shoot they’re not gonna care and now you’re playing four on five I wouldn’t say the magic are playing four on five it’s more like four and a half on five but it’s become a problem and it’s a problem that’s only

Going to look worse when we get to the playoffs Minnesota built a 17-point lead in this game because a Orlando is a little slow getting into their into their offensive sets um Minnesota hit a lot of really contested shots the magic defense wasn’t good early in this game

Playing simple 38 points in the first quarter defense wasn’t good early in this game but some of it had to do with Rudy goar was able to close the paint down because marel Foltz wasn’t a concern now it’s not like Jonathan Isaac is some crazy concern to he only had three

Points of the game his only made basket was a critical tip in with about a minute 15 left um it’s not like Jonathan Isaac is some crazy offensive player either but he is at least a threat to shoot he at least gives them some size

So that there is a target to pass to when gubar comes over this is the problem this is the issue and again it’s not like marel FZ is small allall but this is the issue teams can ignore faults and you know early in the season it was everyone putting one foot in the

Paint that that stuff hasn’t gone away the magic just need folz to be more aggressive to be more assertive to be more comfortable shooting the ball simple act and look he’s getting there he’s you know he’s come a long way this from where he was when he first came

Back he is able to hit jumpers he is making shots he is contributing offensively I don’t want to sit here and say that he’s not but we all know what this magic team needs we’re not hiding or pretending that we don’t know what this magic team

Needs I read your comments I sit here and say all the magic have to do is make shots and you say oh well they need to get Shooters and and and and when I say this team still has enough to win despite their lack of shooting yall say

They we need shooting I know that that’s not on the roster right now but we do know what’s coming we do know that we’re entering the transaction period we do know we’re entering a period where the magic have to think about these things and I have to think about what best fits this

Team and the plane and the truth is becoming pler that it it may not be Marquel folz or probably isn’t Marquel FS which sucks because we all like it you know we we want his Redemption story to work but you watch a game like this and you see how teams defend

Him it’s hard to conclude otherwise when we come back we will dive into the box score talk about individual performances as the magic defeat the Minnesota Timol we’ll get to that coming up here in just a moment all right let’s let’s dive into the box scores the orlandoo magic defeat

The Minnesota Timberwolves 108 to 106 again just to I have to say this like for focusing on the death line we’re focusing on some of the big big picture issues this was a really solid win um you know again the reason why I I I like talking about this death lineup and and

About this the way that the magic played this game is that they really embraced who they are they embraced what makes them unique they are a big long versatile team they can swi they they could throw out lineups that can switch one through five and still relatively function that’s what makes this team

Really special and we saw that on the floor against a really good Minnesota team like I like I I I know Chris Finch talked about the team shot selection but Gotta Give a lot of credit to the Magic’s defense they forced a lot of difficult shots and and look min made a

Bunch of them early in the game but they forced a lot of difficult shots they forced a lot of turnover 17 for 16 points they did a lot of things to bother Minnesota and use their size against them um eventually they found it found were able to get it to work and

Orlando obviously they they kind their deal is they kind of scratch out just enough offense to to to make their defense matter you know doesn’t matter how good your offense is as long as it scores more than the other team right the magic really embraced who they are and that

Goes not only for the size thing but for their defense the way they the way that they got down and defended especially after how poorly they played in the first quarter they they played excellent defense throughout the fourth quarter too to just take this game over and

Eventually win it and again the star of the night is not going to be someone that stands out on the Box cour in nearly 20 minutes minutes 1959 Jonathan eer scored three points grabbed eight rebounds two Steals and a block he had seven of those eight rebounds in the fourth quarter he scored

All three of those points in the last two minutes he had a putb uh after fron vogner missed a jumper over Rudy goar Isaac was able to take that open space with goar out of the lane tip the ball back in give the magic a four-point lead

With about a minute 15 to play hit a free throw late in the game his defense on Carl Anthony towns again was outstanding pounds finished a game with 19 points just three rebounds he he was 7even for 17 from the floor he was one for three just one for three in the

Fourth quarter he had six turnovers I a lot of that was Isaac’s work especially in that fourth quarter um it was it was an excellent game from from Jonathan Isaac and again he he just sets the tone defensively for this team offensively that tone was set by poo banero 23

Points 10 for 20 shooting one one for one from three two for two from the foul line six assists did have three turnovers um a an All-Star effort from poo leading score for the game by the way um just an All-Star effort just just really just consistent and solid you

Know maybe some opportunities to attack that he didn’t take advantage of maybe a little hesitant to pull from three but again the effectiveness was just very very clear got a little frustrated with the lack of foul calls he only had one he only had two free throws in the game

Which is very rare for him but honestly the officials let both teams play very physically they they let these teams really get after it um which I really appreciate because these are two really good defensive teams uh the magic did you know po did a good job ultimately

Scoring and taking care of his business there um fron Vagner another nice game for him 19 points s for 17 shooting missed all five of his three-pointers so a little bit cooling off there two re uh four rebounds excuse me five assists two Steals and a block um just really solid

Just constant pressure like maybe challenge goar a little bit too timid not timidly but too unwisely uh and again miss some three so seven of 17 so that makes him seven of 12 on two two point field goals it’s pretty good um he was able to get

Downhill get to his shots and and you know again just he’s he’s looking more and more like himself the three three-pointers didn’t go down in this game but he’s looking more and more like himself and so he certainly looks to be much healthier wendo Carter a really

Nice game as well even with goar on him or or near him in the paint 18 points six for2 shooting four for six from the foul line 12 rebounds for him a monster on the glass just really good job on the glass did a good job he was guarding

Carl Anthony towns uh in the early part of the game Pao van Caro had the Rudy goar Duty Pao was overmatched by goar another reason why the magic just had to go to that bigger lineup was to get Pao off of goar uh putting Isaac on towns

Enabled Carter to to to to guard goar that was just a a friendlier matchup for him and and again it’s not like goar’s a huge offensive threat but Carter locked down the glass um when when they were matched up together in that fourth quarter and that’s that was such a huge

Factor in this game another solid game there Jaylen Suggs 15 points four for2 shooting four for n from Deep three for four from the foul line six rebounds for him um great homecoming game for him you know the shooting percentages aren’t great but those four three-pointers are

Why the magic got back in this game he had I think it was let me just check my stats here he hit uh one of three in the first half he hit three of five in the third quarter those three three-pointers in third quarter why the magic completed

This comeback they they worked hard to get it to single digits at halftime they took the lead they made this a game in the third quarter that’s a big reason why you know Suggs being able to hit contested in difficult threes um it that’s been one of the most Pleasant

Developments of the season and look the shooting percentages are not there he still made some like iffy decisions he had three turnovers in the game um you know it feels like sometimes as he’s driving his eyes get bigger than his stomach uh but um but again he’s

Still making a positive impact on the floor and look I thought he did a good job on Anthony Edwards Edwards made some tough shots nine for 18 two for eight 22 points for Anthony Edwards did have five assists as well as three turnovers um you know he you know magic needed a

Little bit more size on him putting France fogger on Anthony Edwards at the end of the game I didn’t mention this earlier France vogner’s defense was really good in this game um you know give all the Jonathan Isaac for helping set a tone and and players have said

Knowing Jonathan Isaac is behind them allows them to be more aggressive allows them to get into guys a little bit more um so that’s a big part of it but wendo Carter played great defense fron vager played awesome defense on Anthony Edwards in the fourth quarter and look I

Know Anthony Edwards was dealing with the knee issue bumped knees in late in the first half but they locked him up and shut him down and and that’s that’s why the magic won like their defense won them this game and it was really really impressive Orlando shoots 45.9% from the

Floor overall 9 for 25 from three so didn’t take a lot of Threes you like that 21 of 26 from the foul line they did have 15 turnovers but the big stat of the day after having one of their lowest points in the paint games against Minnesota the first time around only 38

Points in the paint they score 54 in this game when Orlando gets to around 55 points of the paint they’re usually going to win so 54 points to the paint 27 for 50 shooting very very good job attack backing getting downhill after some tentative moments early in the game

Trying to attack goar the magic did a good job drawing him out dumping it down dishing it to uh to to to to help you know to to to the open man cutting into the open space that goar was leaving behind they able get a lot of points

That way a really really solid effort from them Minnesota shoots only 46.3% from Florida remember this one of the best offenses in the league 12 for 38 from Beyond The Arc 18 for 20 from the foul line they turn it over 17 times for 16 points the orer magic defeat the

Minnesota turber wolves 108 to 106 they’re back in Action Sunday as the road trip continues in Detroit against Detroit Pistons don’t sleep on the Pistons got that big Sunday afternoon game last week against Oklahoma City scored a lot of points against Clippers on Friday if you want this Minnesota

Game to mean anything gotta beat Detroit on Sunday big big game against the Pistons as this road trip continues but that’s going to do it for me today I want to thank you all again for listening to today episode of Locked on Match course find me on Twitter Philip

Rror OMD subscribe to the podcast an apple podcast your tuned in himo Google play Spotify Odyssey and all s podcast to your podcast enabl device you can also check us out on YouTube search for lockon magic or youtube.com lockon magic for the latest on the Orlando Magic be sure to check

Out orlandomagic daily.com you can find us there on Twitter Atomic daily and of course be sure to check out my patreon page Orlando magichub at patreon.com orlandomagic HUB that’s good do it for me today though I want to thank you again for listening to today’s episode

Of lock on Magic for Orlando Magic jily and lock on Magic this been Philip Ros we’ll see you again next time for another episode of lockon magic

The Orlando Magic are starting to embrace the thing that makes them unique — their size and versatility. They employed a major death lineup with Jonathan Isaac at its center to pull ahead and dominate defensively in the fourth quarter to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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