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Orlando Magic: Three early season positives after hot start

By Luke Duffy

ORLANDO, FL - OCTOBER 18: Nikola Vucevic
ORLANDO, FL - OCTOBER 18: Nikola Vucevic /
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ORLANDO, FL – OCTOBER 13: Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic shoots the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the preseason game on October 13, 2017 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL – OCTOBER 13: Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic shoots the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the preseason game on October 13, 2017 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /

1. The Real Emergence Of Nikola Vucevic

It has taken the rest of the league maybe three years or so to see what most Magic fans knew all along: Nikola Vucevic is for real.

The Montenegrin big man has been on a tear so far, and his 41 point performance in that loss to the Nets was a thing of beauty.

While the role of the big man looks to have diminished somewhat in today’s NBA, Vucevic has changed with the times and is now a 3-point threat.

So much so that he hit six of them during that aforementioned Nets game, and is 50 percent from downtown in this young season.

For years now the team has needed a go-to scorer to get them buckets when opponents are nullifying secondary options or guys are having off nights.

https://twitter.com/LucaLockheart/status/922094679591739392

Vucevic has unquestionably become that guy, and whether the ball is dumped into him in the paint or he steps out to take a beautiful looking jumper, the ball is going through the hoop.

The signing of Bismack Biyombo to such a large deal (making $17 million this season, tied for most on the team) was puzzling at the time and looks even more so now.

But there’s no question Vucevic (making $12.5 million this season and is 26-years-old) has beaten him out as the starting center for this team.

He’s done so with fabulous offensive ability, but also an improvement defensively as well. Vucevic also has the third highest Player Efficiency Rating in the league right now, at 36.4.

Truly, he has turned a corner and with a better supporting cast looks set to take his game to the next level.

Next: Ranking all 30 starting NBA centers for 2017-18

Right now it’s positive vibes all around for this team, and Nikola Vucevic has been at the center of all of that in more ways than one.

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