Orlando Magic: 5 ways it has gone wrong for this team
By Luke Duffy
3. Injuries have played their part
When it comes to injuries in the league, every team suffers and nobody is exempt. Quite how badly these injuries hamper a team’s progress throughout the season differs, however.
While the Magic have been lucky in that so far their key players have remained healthy and there’s been no long-term setbacks, they haven’t had it all their own way either.
Both Elfrid Payton and D.J. Augustin both missed time with hamstring injuries, with there being a three-game overlap when neither point guard was available.
That’s manageable of course, but what was frustrating was how both guys were playing some of their best basketball in a Magic uniform before injury disrupted them.
#Magic HC Frank Vogel on the play of Elfrid Payton & DJ Augustin: "Yeah they're both a little out of rhythm." Said the two are still getting back into swing of things after missing time due to injury.
— Nick Gryniewicz (@GetNickG) November 21, 2017
Augustin in particular looked like a completely different player than the one who drifted through games last year. His Player Efficiency Rating of 14.9 (league average 15) reflects this, given that it was a much less appealing 11 last season.
At the moment it is the turn of rookie Jonathan Isaac to sit out with an ankle problem. While it’s great that the team have increased depth to cope with this, it is disruptive.
Isaac leads the team with 1.3 blocks per game and his ability to stretch the floor for the team and work hard defensively has been missed as the team continues to slide down the standings.