Orlando Magic: Top 10 moments of the 2018-19 NBA season

6. Jonathan Isaac’s February

Second-year man Isaac had had a worrisome rookie campaign due to injuries, appearing in only 27 games. He started off this season in a pedestrian manner as well, but February was when he started to figure some things out and take his first step forward as an NBA player.

It couldn’t have come at a better time too, with the Magic’s season on life support and in need of help to bring it back from the brink. It is no coincidence that they became one of the hottest teams in the league from Jan. 31 onwards, with that momentum carrying them into the postseason.

Isaac had his best scoring output in this month, averaging 13.7 points per game. The Magic only lost three times in February, with the 38.5 percent he shot from deep being a big boost to a streaky offensive unit. Even better, the corner 3-pointer became a go-to shot for him, as he knocked them down with encouraging consistency.

Defensively both he and Khem Birch were a key reason for Orlando’s rapid improvement in that area, as the Magic became the best defensive team in the league for a stretch. Isaac was their player of the month in February. No one performance stood out, just a host of solid ones as he emerged as a key piece in their future.