How To Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Florida (Orlando); FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin (Milwaukee); NBA League Pass (National)STREAM MAGIC-BUCKS ON FUBO TVHow to Listen: WYGM 96.9 FM (Orlando); 740 AM (Orlando); 620 AM (Milwaukee); 103.3 FM WTMJ (Milwaukee); Sirius XM Channel 213 (Magic); NBA Audio League Pass (National)FOLLOW LIVE: @OMAGICDAILYTickets: $23-$660+ on StubHubSeason Series: Magic 118, Bucks 99 in Orlando on Feb. 9; Tonight in Orlando; March 8 in MilwaukeeOrlando Magic vs. Milwaukee Bucks: Stats and 3 Keys to Watch
Milwaukee
Orlando
98.6
Pace
100.8
112.7
Off. Rtg.
113.5
116.7
Def. Rtg.
113.8
56.7
eFG%
52.7
25.6
O.Reb.%
30.8
14.7
TO%
13.8
23.1
FTR
30.6
1. Beyond the arc
The Orlando Magic’s biggest weakness remains their shooting.
Orlando opened the game Monday shooting 1 for 8 in the first quarter and 4 for 21 in the first half. The Magic felt they were getting good looks, too. They could not make shots. So they found themselves down three at the break.
One of the big reasons Orlando broke the game open in the third quarter was that the team made 6 of 11 threes in the third quarter, including three in the run that got the team up by 15.
The Magic finished the game shooting 14 or 42 from three (33.3 percent). Of those 42 attempts, 33 were considered wide-open (with the closest defender 6-plus feet away). The Magic got a lot of quality looks that they could not hit.
The poor percentage in Monday’s game has dropped the Magic to last in the league in 3-point field goal percentage at 34.0 percent for the season.
The good news was that the Milwaukee Bucks did not shoot much better. They finished 12 for 33 (36.4 percent) and cooled off considerably in the second half.
But the Bucks are better suited for a bounce-back shooting game. They are second in the league in 3-point field goal percentage at 39.2 percent. Even with Giannis Antetokounmpo out with this recent injury, they are shooting 39.0 percent from deep.
Whichever team is able to hit threes more consistently or play against their type has an advantage. Orlando’s 3-point defense ended up winning Monday.
2. Back to defense
The question for the Orlando Magic throughout the season was: When would the team get back to its hounding, aggressive defensive style? This team has hardly looked like the defensive juggernaut everyone expected.
The Magic currently rank 14th giving up 113.8 points per 100 possessions. That is on the rise thanks to this three-game homestand.
Orlando has given up fewer than 110 points per 100 possessions in each of the three games of this winning streak, averaging a league-best 101.0 defensive rating during this streak.
A big part of that success is because the team is forcing turnovers.
Orlando has gone from an opponent turnover rate of 15.2 percent (ninth in the league) to a league-best 20.3 percent in the last three games. The Magic average 19.4 points off turnovers per game for the season (eighth in the league). They are up to 30.7 points off turnovers per game in the last three games.
That is more like Magic basketball.
Of course, it should be noted it is against three teams at the bottom of the standings in the Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz and Milwaukee Bucks.
3. Lineup fun
Now that the Orlando Magic are healthy with Franz Wagner back in the lineup, the Magic can start to explore their lineups a bit. They can start to test out how things were supposed to work.
Especially considering Anthony Black has emerged as a solid player and scorer. The Magic have a lot of runway to work with.
Before Monday’s game, Orlando’s opening night starting lineup had a +18.0 net rating in 117 minutes and 11 games — a 122.6 offensive rating and 104.6 defensive rating. The group played together for two minutes and lost 7-3 while shooting 1 for 4.
Hardly anything to freak out about or give up on. But the Magic are still waiting to get that up and running.
They also ran a lineup with Paolo Banchero at center and Anthony Black in the group.
That group played 2.8 minutes together and won their minutes 9-7, giving up some early points before racing out and finding its groove. There should be more of this experimenting.
Of course, it helped to be leading by double-digits, giving some leeway to stick with lineups that might otherwise be struggling.
Orlando Magic vs. Milwaukee Bucks: Injury Report & Projected LineupsMilwaukee Bucks Injury ReportGiannis Antetokounmpo – OUT (Right Calf Strain)Ryan Rollins – QUESTIONABLE (Right Foot Plantar Fasciitis)Taurean Prince – OUT (Neck Surgery)Pete Nance – QUESTIONABLE (Left Ankle Sprain)Alex Antetokounmpo – OUT (G-League Two-Way)Orlando Magic Injury ReportJett Howard – OUT (Left Ankle Sprain)Collin Castleton – OUT (G-League Two-Way)Projected Lineups
Milwaukee
Orlando
Ryan Rollins
PG
Jalen Suggs
A.J. Green
SG
Desmond Bane
Kevin Porter Jr.
SF
Anthony Black
Kyle Kuzma
PF
Paolo Banchero
Myles Turner
C
Wendell Carter
Orlando Magic vs. Milwaukee Bucks: PredictionOur Record: 31-21/22-30 ATS
The Orlando Magic are finally playing with a lot of confidence and a lot of intensity. Their defense is playing with verve and physicality. This is a team that has seemingly found its groove and looks like the team everyone was promised.
The Magic finally seem to have an identity.
Never mind, they have built this three-game win streak against tanking teams — one explicitly doing so. They still have to do the job. And that should be the focus in this last game before the All-Star Break.
The Milwaukee Bucks will surely shoot better this time around and be a bit more ready for the Orlando Magic’s physicality. That will be the real test for this defense. It has often crumbled when it is pushed back.
But the Magic are healthy and whole. They felt and played that way for long stretches in Monday’s game. It feels like the Magic are starting to find themselves. Sweeping this homestand would be a big step for them.