Orlando Magic: Week One Thoughts
By Luke Duffy
Nikola Vucevic Is Still This Team’s Most Consistent Player
It was interesting to see that, in the Magic’s eventual opening game loss to the Washington Wizards, it was Nikola Vucevic who had the ball in his hands with the opportunity to steal the game. He missed his effort, but the play was designed for him. Like last season, Vucevic has come out and been this team’s most consistent player.
So far he’s averaged 18 points and seven rebounds per game and although it’s too early to read significantly into those numbers, they’re unlikely to dip as the season goes on.
He’s still doing everything this team needs of him, including being a nice link-up man offensively who can take a pass and get a bucket, or else move the ball along accordingly. While Oladipo has begun the season looking like he’s about to break out, it’s Vucevic who has stood behind him, propping this team up.
His defensive influence and defensive plus/minus (plus-5.5; his career high is plus-1.5) is the new element he’s added to his game early on, and it’s kept this Magic team in contests with organizations that are better than they are.
The only minor concern so far is that’s he’s yet to lead the team in any statistical category throughout those games. This will surely change, particularly with rebounding, but when you consider Vucevic led this team in scoring and rebounding last season (19.3 ppg & 10.9 rpg) if he could up the production even a little bit, this team may have a win or two already.
He likely won’t get the recognition he deserves, but it’s more of the same from the big man, and it’s vital for this team.
Next: Guard's Shooting Crucial Step For This Team