The Orlando Magic faced off against the Houston Rockets for their final game of the preseason tonight. Magic fans got a taste of what the franchise’s first season without Dwight Howard may turn out to be as the Magic lost to the Rockets 108-92.
The Rockets started their double digit conquest of the Magic early in the first half when they went on a 23-3 run. Houston’s dominance continued into halftime as they were able to hold the Magic to just one point to end the 2nd quarter.
Because it is just the preseason, many may dismiss Orlando’s loss as just another defeat in a game that does not count. Yet, the Magic finished with a record of 2-5 and never seemed to get into a good offensive rhythm.
So, the Magic have a new offensive approach. No more Dwight Howard means less free points at the free throw line and less attempts from the three point line. Not that I was a huge fan of the Magic living on the perimeter, but the team’s new offensive approach will be a team based effort and less of a one man show.
Glen “Big Baby” Davis seems to be the team’s new offensive guru, but his offensive night was light and a little inconsistent. He was three for nine from the field and scored 12 points for the Magic.
Rebounds, another issue for the Magic now that Howard is no longer a member of the team, did not seem to be a problem for Orlando. They snagged 51 boards to the Rockets 40, but there is an underlying concern for the Magic. The Rockets had a paltry four offensive rebounds and still scored 108 points on the night.
That leads me to believe that the Rockets didn’t need many second chance opportunities to score points, a potential problem for Orlando’s defense.
The Magic were able to claim success that everyone who stepped a sneaker on the court did their best to crash the boards, but what good did it do if the team loses by 16?
Well, again, it is just the preseason. Some starters sat, and others did not play the entire game. Fans shouldn’t expect that type of effort and output once the real season starts.
I’m sure that new head coach Jacque Vaughn is anxious to get the real season started to showcase some of the changes he has put in place in the post Dwight Howard era.
The Magic jump it off against the Nuggets on the 2nd to start the regular season.
-JH
