Magic 'Diving Back' to Defense in Final Stretch of Season

The Orlando Magic are hoping their defense continues to shine after the All-Star Break.

ORLANDO - All season long, the Orlando Magic have chosen to "hang their hat" on the defensive end.

Through the All-Star Break, the Magic have built the league's fifth-best defensive rating. Only the Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder have better numbers on the defensive end, and all four of those teams sit in first or second in their respective conference standings.

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That's how elite the Magic's defense has been through the first 55 games of the season, and for the final 27, coach Jamahl Mosley is doubling down on the team's biggest strength.

"Just diving back into our strengths of what we've been good at this entire time and that's hanging our hat on the defensive end," Mosley said when asked about the team's goals for the end of the season.

The Magic is a defensive-first team, which should help them as fatigue grows in the back part of the regular season and into the playoffs. If the offense can take a step in the right direction, they can be a true threat as a team. Coach Mosley believes the secret to a strong offense is getting all five players on the floor involved.

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"When you have the ball in your hands offensively, making sure that we have everyone involved, everyone is touching it, that ball moves side to side and that we get the best shot possible," Mosley said about the team's offensive philosophy.

If that part of the Magic's game can improve and the defense continues to be a thorn in every opponent's side, Orlando will be a dark horse in the next few months.