Orlando Magic: Maybe James Borrego Is The Man?

The Jacque Vaughn era lasted too long in Orlando, it’s something we can all agree on. There came a point late on where not only was he stunting the growth of the team, but you could argue the team was going backwards under his guidance. So when James Borrego was given the job on an interim basis, most felt that he wouldn’t hold onto the job too long.

With bigger names like George Karl and Mark Jackson out there and possibly available, it made sense to try and get one of these guys to take the team to the next level. Looking at how he’s impacted the Orlando Magic though, maybe he deserves a crack at being the head coach on a full time basis?

Feb 8, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic guard Evan Fournier (10) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game at Amway Center. The Chicago Bulls defeated the Orlando Magic 98-97. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

With the All-Star break now over and the end of the regular season pulling into focus, it seems likely that Borrego will be allowed to see out the rest of the regular season. Looking at what he’s done for the team in a short space of time though, he might feel he has earned the job full time.

Probably the most important thing he has added to the roster has been a sense of identity, something that has been sorely lacking for years now.

With Vaughn, this team had no purpose, no direction. Despite having a host of young players brimming with potential, this team didn’t know what it was, or what it could be. With the likes of Victor Oladipo and Elfrid Payton on the team, there was always the feeling that this could be an elite defensive team given the time and appropriate coaching.

Before Borrego took over, this team had the worst defensive efficiency rating in the entire NBA. Some of the baskets they conceded were embarrassing, and it was clear there was a lack of effort on this end of the court.

Since Borrego took over, the team has shot up to seventh in the league in this category, playing with an intensity and enthusiasm on that end of the court not seen this season, or indeed last year either.

The talent was always there, but with the appropriate coaching, it has come out in abundance. Nikola Vucevic isn’t the best rim protector in the world, but he’s now giving this team something on that end. Tobias Harris may be a little underrated as a defender as well, but his sheer enthusiasm to do everything he can on the court means he contributes on this end too.

All of this has added up to a three-game win streak for the team. Modest yes, but considering this team stumbled through December and most of January, it’s a welcome change.

Of course in most sports, the arrival of a new coach (Even an interim one) can gives players a new lease of life and reason to be optimistic about the future once more. So this could have definitively contributed to the recent wins. The wins (All at home against the New York Knicks, New Orleans Pelicans and Philadelphia 76ers) hardly read like a who’s who of the NBA’s elite either.

But entering Sunday’s game, that win over Philadelphia, the team was holding opponents to 91.6 points a game in the five games previous, which was the best mark in the league. Before that, this team sat 24th in the same category. Some change.

So it’s clear an identity has quickly been instilled here and that Borrego has the trust of the players. These are big things for a young team grasp so quickly with a new head coach, and that should be considered when deciding who gets the job for the long term.

One player who also seems to have benefited from the arrival of Borrego is shooting guard Evan Fournier. To begin the season he was a lightning rod for this team, scoring points in bunches for a Magic team that sorely needed it. His role then changed once Oladipo returned so that he came off the bench, and he struggled to adapt.

At times this season it appeared he was coasting through games, not demanding the ball and trying to help the team get back into games in the way he had to begin the year. His role with the team had changed, and he was struggling to cope with that.

Borrego now appears to be getting the best out of him again, and that’s huge for this team. The argument could be made he’s the best pure scorer this team has. But his playmaking abilities and defensive chops have also been on show a little bit more, as well as an uptick in points per game (11.2 since the coaching change).

All in all he looks as happy and as comfortable on this team as he has been all year, and the coaching change will have had a lot to do with that.

So for now at least, James Borrego could certainly make the argument that he should get the job on a full time basis. When Jacque Vaughn was fired, I personally was desperate for the team to make a permanent appointment quickly so as to try and get back on track as quickly as possible.

The playoffs were out of reach, but finishing strong would have put them in a good place heading into next season.

But Borrego has taken his chance and finally has this team playing a brand of basketball that is unique to them. It is defence orientated, and there still is a lot of work to do offensively, but for now at least it is producing results. Let him have the job for the rest of the year and let’s see what else he can do for this team. He could be the next head coach of this team after all.

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