Magic Starting 5: Victor Wembanyama Fixing Defense?

The Magic Insider lists five of the biggest NBA storylines in addition to relevant Orlando Magic news and analysis.

Jeremy Brener | May 1, 2023

Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

In this story:

Orlando Magic

"Adding Wembanyama alleviates their biggest defensive weakness: actual rim disruption. Orlando didn't let opponents reach the hoop often but surrendered a bottom-three clip whenever they did. Wembanyama's rotations and 3.1 blocks per game instantly nip that in the bud."

2. MAGIC LEARNING FROM WARRIORS

"Ironically enough, the Warriors, arguably the greatest sports dynasty in the past decade, play an entirely opposite style to that of the Magic. The Warriors play small and build their offense from beyond the arc, while the Magic boasts one of the biggest teams in the league. However, the Magic players can learn from the Warriors by being themselves."

3. STEPH SCORES 50 IN WARRIORS WIN

Stephen Curry offered up a 50-point outburst in Sunday’s 120–100 victory over the Kings in Game 7, so his Warriors - the defending champs - claim a spot in the second round of the NBA playoffs.

4. MONDAY NIGHT'S GAMES

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics, 7:30 p.m. EST, TNT

Phoenix Suns vs. Denver Nuggets, 10:00 p.m. EST, TNT

5. NBA DRAFT LOTTERY COUNTDOWN

The Magic is 15 days away from the NBA Draft Lottery, where it will be revealed if Orlando will have the opportunity to take Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 overall pick.

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Published May 1, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.