ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Magic will look to extend their three-game home winning streak Sunday night when they host the Atlanta Hawks. Orlando sits in the ninth spot in the East heading into this matchup, 1.5 games behind the Miami Heat for the eighth and final playoff spot.
Let's take a look at a few things to watch for in Sunday's game.
Consistency on Defense
Despite the playoff push post-break, the Magic have fallen back into lulls of inconsistency in their last 10 games overall. They're 5-5 over the last 10, averaging 105.3 points per game on 44.6 percent shooting from the field. Their opponents are averaging 103.7 points per game on 44.6 percent shooting in that span.
What has allowed the Magic to stay competitive this season has been their perimeter defense. A staple of all Steve Clifford teams, the Magic have competed with the best on the defensive end of the floor to make up for the below-average offensive talent on the roster. Given how impactful 3-point shooting is today, holding opponents to subpar stats from beyond the arc has a huge impact on the outcome.
Last year, eight of the top-10 teams in opponent 3-point percentage made the postseason, with six of those eight advancing to the second round. Eight of the top-10 teams in that same stat this year are also on track to make the postseason.
Orlando currently sits at No. 11 in opponent 3-point percentage. More recently, though, the Magic are No. 1 in that stat since Jan. 1, 2019. According to NBA.com, Orlando has allowed the fourth-fewest uncontested 3-point shots in the league this season, while the Hawks have taken the most in the league. The Magic will need to defend the 3-point line to get this win.
Michael-Carter Williams
The Magic just signed former lottery pick Michael-Carter Williams to a 10-day contract. Carter-Williams' signing is clearly to help the postseason push, but it'll be on defense that he can be most effective. Orlando's point guard situation has been an Achilles heel this season, but at the very least, Carter-Williams provides some depth.
Markelle Fultz is still the long-term solution, ideally, but Isaiah Briscoe's torn meniscus really hurt the team's second unit. Williams, a former Rookie of the Year, is another long player who can make his mark on defense.
For Clifford, that's enough:
“He's a terrific defender,” Clifford said earlier this week. “He's one of the few guys (who) can both contain the ball and create turnovers. He anticipates very well, and he's got a good knack for playing off the ball.”
Clifford and the Magic are hoping MCW can provide a spark.
Limit the Hawks' second chances
The Atlanta Hawks go as Trae Young does. The Rookie of the Year candidate heads into this game averaging 18.4 points, 7.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 30.7 minutes of action per game.
But don't discount the Hawks' activity on the offensive glass. Atlanta is third in the league with 11.7 offensive rebounds per game, with John Collins leading the team with 3.7 of those.
These two sides last met on Feb. 10 in Atlanta when the Magic won, 124-108. Atlanta had just five offensive rebounds in that game, while Nikola Vucevic finished with 12 rebounds overall and eight on the defensive end.
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