Vogel’s message: Brighter days ahead
BOSTON — Optimism is one of Frank Vogel’s defining personality traits.
So no one should be surprised that he crafted an optimistic message to his Orlando Magic players as they sat on a six-game losing streak entering their game Friday night against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden.
As tipoff approached, Vogel explained the gist to reporters.
“We’ve got to get a win,” Vogel said. “I don’t want us to think that it’s just going to get easy for us or we can wait until later on in the season. We’ve got to get a win tonight. But certainly I’m stressing to them that it’s November. It’s super-early in the season, and we’ve got to try to keep our head above water right now and try to squeeze out as many wins as we can right now. And there are brighter days ahead.
“We try to focus on the process as much as possible and not the results, and if we’ve won seven straight, we’ve still got to come in and watch what we did last game and improve upon it and grow as a basketball team. We have to do that even though we’ve lost a few in a row.”
Whether players heed that message is up for debate. The Magic’s core of Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon, Elfrid Payton and Nikola Vucevic has known nothing but losing during their tenures with the team. They’re used to having seasons spiral out of control.
Things likely will worsen before they improve. A game against the much-improved Philadelphia 76ers looms tonight, followed by a road game against the Indiana Pacers, home games against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors and a road-to-road back-toback against the New York Knicks and Charlotte Hornets.
But there is truth to what Vogel is saying: Some relief is on the horizon.
The Magic will play 28 of their first 49 games this season on the road, which means they will play 20 of their final 33 games at Amway Center.
Still, Gordon acknowledged the losing streak has taken a toll.
Asked to describe the team’s morale, Gordon answered, “We’ve got great character guys on this team. It’s low at first, but then once we get onto the court and we’re with each other and we start talking over what we’re going to do and we start playing the game that we love, it’s high.”
Fashion sense
Celtics coach Brad
Stevens was asked before tipoff what he thinks about his team’s black uniforms.
“I don’t really pay attention to our uniform colors unless we’re throwing it to the wrong team over and over, which becomes a problem,” Stevens answered.
Praise for Irving
Payton braced for a difficult challenge Friday — his first game this season matching up against Celtics newcomer and perennial All-Star Kyrie Irving.
“I think his finishing is probably his best attribute,” Payton said.
Payton missed the Magic’s loss to the Celtics on Nov. 5 because of a hamstring injury.
Vogel lavished Irving with praise before tipoff when he was asked about Irving’s dribbling skill.
“Handles and speed and quickness and tricks and deception — he’s as good as there is in the world,” Vogel said. “His handles make him tough to guard.”
Every game seems to bring tough tests for NBA point guards.
On Nov. 29, Payton will match up against the Thunder’s Russell Westbrook. Two nights later, Payton will face the Warriors’ Stephen Curry.
“It’s tough, but this is what I signed up for,” Payton said. “That’s what I want: life challenges. This is about Boston as a whole, so we’ve got to get this win.”