With NBA watchers
Orlando sees playoff berth ahead as new season begins
saying the Orlando Magic will have a challenging season ahead, coach Frank Vogel knows inspiring his players will be equally as challenging.
In the past, Frank Vogel rarely posted items on the Indiana Pacers’ bulletin board in order to inspire Pacers players. He occasionally showed them clips from the “Rocky” movies. Or he just told them he believed in them.
“I really just base it on feel,” Vogel said. “It seemed like every team we had in Indiana they chose us to not make the playoffs or be an eight or seven seed, and we always played out better than that. But I wasn’t posting that stuff in the locker room before the season. If I see something that sticks out that I think can resonate with them, then I’ll use it.”
Vogel doesn’t have to look far to find bulletinboard material for his new team, the Orlando Magic. Sports Illustrated predicts the Magic will finish 13th in the Eastern Conference. An ESPN projection forecasts the Magic will win only 37 games. And the NBA’s website lists the Magic 21st in its 30-team power rankings.
No one outside the organization seems to think the Magic will reach the postseason. But none of the players care. “We have a lot of work to do and a lot of jelling
to do, but we’ll be in the playoffs,” forward Aaron Gordon said. “No doubt.”
Who’s correct, the team or the pundits?
The answer will begin to emerge when the Magic open their regular season tonight against the Miami Heat at Amway Center.
The preseason produced more questions than answers. The defense often looked shoddy. The offense sometimes struggled to score. And there were at least two exhibitions in which the Magic seemed to lack competitive spirit. One of the worst losses, a 107-77 rout, occurred on Oct. 18 against the Heat.
“We had stretches where we played really good basketball, but we had stretches where we played awful basketball as well,” swingman Evan Fournier said. “It’s going to take time. It’s not just going to happen overnight. But, yes, we have the keys to be very good.”
The Magic return only six players from the team that finished last season 35-57 and well outside the playoff hunt. After Scott Skiles resigned as coach in May, the team hired Vogel. In the months that followed, team executives overhauled the roster, adding nine newcomers, including power forward Serge Ibaka, center Bismack Biyombo, forward Jeff Green and point guard D.J. Augustin.
The pervasive newness adds intrigue to the Magic. Even the talking heads who think the Magic will falter this season also acknowledge that the team at least will be interesting to watch.
When several players and Vogel were asked Tuesday what they think about the naysayers’ opinions, all of them answered that they don’t pay attention to the talk.
“Everybody has their opinion,” center Nikola Vucevic said.
“I couldn’t care less, to be honest,” Fournier said. “I mean, some guys use it as motivation, yeah. I don’t personally.”
Opening night will bring an excitement all its own.
Even veteran players can feel so much adrenaline at the start of the regular season that the exhilaration adversely impacts their performance. Fournier, for example, made just one of his seven shot attempts in last season’s opener.
Gordon predicted his enthusiasm will be “through the roof” when the season finally tips off.
“Everybody’s ready,” Gordon said. “It’s what we live to do. It’s so much fun. We know we can do something special and we can be special here. We’re looking to seize the opportunity.”
In other words, they have an opportunity to prove their faith in their team is justified.
No bulletin board material required.