Orlando Magic: 5 things that need to happen in February
By Luke Duffy
2. Shoot the 3-ball more
As of right now, the Magic rank 20th in the league in 3-point percentage, at 35.7 percent — this despite being15th in attempts per game (28.8).
The team started the season so well from beyond the arc, at one point leading the league in 3-point shooting. Guys like Gordon, Evan Fournier and Terrence Ross cooled off (or got injured), and so the team stopped jacking up so many long range looks.
Yet against the Rockets, a game they could have won if not for the heroics of Harden, they attempted 31 shots from distance and 15 connected.
That kind of output, regardless of whether they go in or not, would put them around fifth in the league in 3-point attempts.
Meanwhile, @OrlandoMagic are hanging with @HoustonRockets because they are shooting 55% from deep, that's crazy pic.twitter.com/fBRPwrrNsc
— Gregor Smith (@flc) January 31, 2018
Given the way the league has gone, that is the direction they should be going in. Plus we have seen that it can work for them as they’ve got underrated long range shooters.
Somebody like Elfrid Payton should be hoisting them up every chance he gets so as to prove that he can run a modern NBA offense and that his 40 percent mark from deep this year is no mirage.
The worst than can happen is they’ll lose games, and that’s the goal right now anyway.