Magic Aim to Get Back to Winning Ways at Home with Up-Tempo Attack

After starting 10-0 at home this season, the Orlando Magic have lost 17 of their last 25 games at the Kia Center ahead of Monday night's matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers. Trying to change the tide, Orlando is turning to its recent up-tempo attack for help.

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) rebounds the ball against Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie (9) during the third quarter at Capital One Arena. / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

ORLANDO, Fla. –– The last time the Orlando Magic defended home court against a Western Conference foe, the Houston Rockets dealt Paolo Banchero's squad their 17th loss in 35 games at the Kia Center this season.

"We haven't been playing very good at home," the third-year forward said Sunday. "We've been losing a lot, so we've got to try and change that around."

A season ago, only five teams posted a better win-loss record in their home gym than the Magic's 29-12 mark. Then, Orlando won all three playoff games in its only playoff series with home court. In this year's follow-up campaign, one of the Magic's goals was to earn a home-court advantage-granting playoff spot and continue their home dominance. Early returns suggested they were on their way – winning the first 10 regular season games.

But this year is not the last. Injury struggles upset Orlando's rhythm multiple times, and the Magic has not again found stability. They've lost 17 of their last 25 at home and their .514 winning percentage (18-17) is only tied for 19th-best in the NBA.

Six of the Magic's last 11 games are at home to close the regular season, including four of the next five. Still jockeying for seeding in the Eastern Conference Play-In race, the Magic need all the W's they can grab.

"Going into the playoffs, you want to be able to hold down home court and be good on your home floor," Banchero said. "Hopefully we can find a way to get some wins."

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) handles the ball against Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (8) during the second quarter at Capital One Arena. / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

When squaring off with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday evening, they'll be looking to replicate many of the offensive principles showcased in a dominant victory over Washington.

Orlando had one of its best shotmaking nights of the year, and Washington's porous defense aided matters. Yet, so too did the Magic's transition offense and unusually quicker pace.

This season, Orlando averages the second-fewest total possessions in the NBA (96.70 pace). In the win over the Wizards, the Magic had a pace of 100-flat – just the 20th time in 71 games Orlando's pace has surpassed the century mark, but the third time in four games.

"[We're] just trying to take advantage of any opportunities we have to run," Banchero said. "Whether it's miss or make, or off the turnover, just getting out, getting up the floor in a hurry.

"We're putting more points on the board, scoring a little easier, and I think that goes hand-in-hand with just playing faster. I think it's just helping everybody when we can get shots early in the clock rather than trying to wait until four or five seconds, playing later in the clock. Just taking advantage of those early opportunities helps our offense."

Banchero didn't have to review much of the film to arrive at that conclusion. He said Sunday that games like Friday's, where he scored 30 points in three quarters while his Magic cruised, don't require as much studying as rougher outings do and he can move onto studying the next opponent.

Still, the Magic star's assessment of how a picked-up pace is helping the Magic is correct. And, it's correlated directly with Cory Joseph's insertion into the starting lineup for Cole Anthony, who continues to deal with a lingering left big toe strain and is questionable to return Monday versus the Lakers.

Production from the first five has stayed relatively consistent across the board, regardless of point guard. The one noticeable difference? Orlando plays at a faster pace with Joseph than Anthony at the one.

Below is a comparison of the Magic's starting groups with Anthony and Joseph alongside Banchero, Franz Wagner, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Wendell Carter Jr.

Post All-Star Break	Minutes	Offensive Rating	Defensive Rating	Net Rating	eFG%	AST/TO	Pace
Cole Anthony w/ Magic starters	158 (9 games)	119.4	100.0	19.4	55.6	1.93	96.92
Cory Joseph w/ Magic starters (6 games)	77 (6 games)	120.6	102.5	18.1	53.4	2.53	98.17

Asked Sunday what he thinks Joseph's role in the starting lineup is doing to help the Magic's first unit, pace was the first thing coach Jamahl Mosley referenced.

"His pace, his poise, his ability to get guys into the spots that they need to be," Mosley said. "If you watch back at the film and you look at it, he's getting that ball over halfcourt by 21 a lot of times, and I think that allows us to be able to attack defenses before they're set, allows guys to make quick decisions so you're not playing against a loaded defense.

"I think that's helping these guys so much."

In general, Orlando's offense is averaging four more points per 100 possessions in the 15 games since the All-Star break than it did in the 56 games before it. Without many players going in and out of the lineup anymore, Mosley says he feels the Magic have found some rhythm on that end of the floor.

"But," he said, "it starts with us being able to push that pace a little bit more each time we step on the floor."

"I feel like every time we kind of control the pace [and] play fast, good things happen," Tristan da Silva said at Orlando's shootaround Monday. "I feel like ever since Co-Jo go into that starting lineup, he's been able to push the pace a lot after makes, after misses. That's huge for us and he's doing a great job."

They'll need it to overcome the star-powered combination of LeBron James (probable) and Luka Doncic – two of the game's greatest offensive minds – and the Lakers' seventh-ranked defense since the All-Star break.

With Dwight Howard heading into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame and a playoff-caliber team making its lone visit to town, the Magic will need to positively harness the energy of what's sure to be a lively environment to protect home court.

Tipoff is at 7 p.m. Monday evening.

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