Magic 'Hanging Their Hat' on Defense in Win vs. Pelicans

The Orlando Magic has posted the NBA's fifth-best defensive rating over its past 15 games, while posting an 8-7 record over that stretch.

ORLANDO - The 2022-2023 NBA season has been arguably the most offensively dominant in the league's 77-year history. 

Just this past Friday, the Sacramento Kings defeated the Los Angeles 176-175, now the second-highest scoring game in NBA history. 

And just two nights later, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard scored 71 points, the second player in the association to join the exclusive eight-player club this season (Donovan Mitchell on Jan. 2.)

But just as the team has done all season long, the Orlando Magic is focused on the other end of the floor. Especially on the nights when the offense is hard to come by. 

"We'll keep saying it over and over again, we have to hang our hat on the defensive end of the floor," head coach Jamahl Mosley said. "Whether we make shots or miss shots our guys have to continue to understand that we've got to defend at a high level night in and night out."

This season has already surpassed the previous record set in 1961-1962 for most 40-point games from players (147), even with most teams still looking at 20 games left. 

In Monday's victory against the New Orleans Pelicans, facing two of the league's best scorers in Brandon Ingram and C.J McCollum, the team limited the pair to 38 points and just 3 of 15 (20%) from long range. 

"With guys like [Ingram] and McCollum, you're not gonna necessarily hold them all the way down," head coach Jamahl Mosley said. "You just gotta make every shot tough. Our guys did a very good job of being in gaps, being in position early for help, and then Franz did a great job of defending with fouling."

This defense have been the foundation for a team playing .500 basketball since Dec. 16. 

Over its past 15 games, the Magic has posted the league's fifth-best defensive rating, allowing just 110.6 points per 100 possessions.

"That's where it starts for our team is on the defensive end," forward Paolo Banchero said. "Trying to get stops, that's where we've been really locked in. At the end of the day, that's what you need late in games is lockdown defense. When you're able to score baskets, you gotta be able to get stops."

Over that same span, Orlando has ranked seventh in the league in points allowed in the paint per game (47.5) and third in opponents turnovers (16.3). 

And for a team still in the hunt for a Play-In spot, they are going to continue playing their brand of basketball - even if its different from the rest of the league. 

"We love when we're being doubted," guard Markelle Fultz said. "We believe in the work, we're worried about ourselves, it doesn't really matter where we go. We're trying to play Magic basketball and understanding if we do that we give ourselves a great chance to unite."

The Magic is back in action tomorrow night against the Milwaukee Bucks. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.

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You can follow Riley Sheppard on Twitter @RileyDSheppard.

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