Goga Bitadze's Instant Impact Is Welcome Sign for Slumping Magic

ORLANDO, Fla. — Hours before Goga Bitadze cleared concussion protocol and became available to play Monday, the Orlando Magic center lowered his expectations.
"It's probably going to be dusty ... is that how you say it? Rusty?" Bitadze said to reporters at the team's shootaround. "Well, it's gonna be dusty and rusty."
At a time when many of the Magic's players are working themselves back up to speed — Bitadze included — the team is striking a balance between expectations and self-forgiveness. Bitadze is getting ahead of the curve, knowing that in the midst of a career year, the odds of picking up where he left off were unlikely.
As it turned out Monday night in Miami, nothing was dusty or rusty about Bitadze's play.
With the Magic down 18-8 halfway through the first quarter, coach Jamahl Mosley subbed in Goga and Tristan da Silva. Orlando would close the quarter on a 21-9 run. On the final play, da Silva dropped off the ball to a baseline-cutting Bitadze for an uncontested slam.
"He played great," da Silva said of Bitadze in the postgame locker room. "I know I looked at the plus-minus for me and [him] when we were out there, and his was through the roof."
Bitadze finished plus-21 in 22 minutes, contributing 10 points, nine rebounds and a block. Postgame, he called out his missed free throws and felt he could have defended better.
His coach was eager to sing his praises.
"I thought he did a very good job," Mosley said. "I think he did a good job defensively trying to cover pick-and-rolls. What he does playmaking [offensively], playing through him, moving [the ball], sharing it. Just some of the simple, easy plays, with his energy [and] intensity [is] what he brings to the table."
Orlando missed those skills when he was unavailable. The Magic were 1-5 in that span; they're 2-9 overall without him.
That's partly why he was on a minutes restriction Monday. The Magic need peak Bitadze come playoff time, so the thinking is that restraint now means he can be full-strength later.
Bitadze, 25, is averaging career-best marks across the board in his sixth NBA season — points (9.6), rebounds (8.2), assists (2.4), blocks (1.6), and field goal percentage (62.5).
More significantly, Orlando is exponentially better per 100 possessions with Bitadze on the court. Per Cleaning the Glass' on-off numbers, the Magic are 13.8 points better per 100 possessions than their opponents with Bitadze on the court. He's in the 82nd percentile or higher when it comes to blocked shots (3.8%, 94th), fgOR% (12.1%, 82nd), fgDR% (24.1%, 86th) and ftDR% (41.7%, 85th).
"Goga's one of those guys, man, he came in this year on a mission," teammate Wendell Carter Jr. said after Orlando's Jan. 19 loss to Denver (also Bitadze's third missed game in concussion protocol). "His presence just being on that court, his intensity, his attention to detail. ... He gets it. He's a fantastic basketball player. That's a guy you want on your team."
Bitadze is a connector who helps grease the wheel offensively and generate solid shot looks. Whether he's in dribble handoffs, setting screens, or navigating to open space, he is where the Magic need him to be.
"He just has a very high basketball IQ," Mosley said. "An extremely skilled basketball player. [He] has more tools in the toolbox than he ever shows, but again, he's doing whatever's necessary to help this team become successful. ... We've run plays through him at times because is a great decision-maker. All of those little, small things are important for us and who he is."
Mosley reasoned that everyone brings energy in their own ways and Bitadze is often unafraid to wear his emotions on his sleeves. Watch him throughout a game and his intentions are clear with every possession.
Can he provide a spark to help the Magic emerge from an extended slump?
According to Mosley: "Absolutely."
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