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Orlando Magic: 3 takeaways from 2018-19 preseason opener

By Chris Murch

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 01: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers guards Aaron Gordon #00 of the Orlando Magic during the first quarter of the preseason game at Wells Fargo Center on October 1, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 01: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers guards Aaron Gordon #00 of the Orlando Magic during the first quarter of the preseason game at Wells Fargo Center on October 1, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

2. Vucevic struggles defensively

In a tale as old as time in Orlando, Nikola Vucevic was the leading scorer for a struggling Magic team last night. However, he was second-to-last in plus/minus (-14) and was a liability defensively. Embiid made him look like a child in the paint, despite them both being the same stature. Vucevic’s defensive effort just looked subpar.

Yes, this is only the first preseason game of a brand new season, but this is a trend that has followed Vucevic his entire career.

What made this effort worse is how much the Magic also got dominated on the glass. The Sixers grabbed 13 offensive-rebounds to Orlando’s five. They also nabbed 13 more total rebounds. Vucevic laid an egg on this front, only pulling down five boards in 23 minutes. He was routinely boxed out of the way by Embiid and Dario Saric, who converted offensive rebounds into easy layups.

At the end of the day, Vucevic’s defensive woes are entirely effort-based. He is a seven-footer with good footwork, a strong build and athleticism. He should be able to hold his own defensively and even be an above-average defender on a nightly basis. He should not be getting bullied in the paint by someone who is of similar build to him and needs to rebound better consistently. Sadly, no evidence points to this yet.

Last season, Vucevic regressed even more defensively. From Orlando Pinstriped Post:

"“While defending less than six feet from the rim this season, opponents are shooting 63.3 percent against Vucevic, the highest percentage he has allowed since joining the Magic. His defense rating is currently at a career-worst 107 points per 100 possessions. His defensive win shares of 1.8 is his lowest since his rookie season.”"

With Vucevic routinely in trade talks and rookie Mo Bamba hot on his heels for playing time, Nikola’s time in Orlando looks to be dependent on his early season play. While you know you are going to get buckets from Vucevic, his defense really needs to step up — for the team’s sake, and his own.

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