Vogel experimenting with Gordon at center
The preseason gives players a chance to regain their rhythm and improve their five-on-five conditioning.
For coaches, exhibition games allow experimentation. That’s what
did in the Orlando Magic’s 103-98 victory Tuesday night over the San Antonio Spurs. For a stretch, Vogel played forward at center.
“Experimenting,” Vogel said. “He looked good. He had 27 [points] and 11 [rebounds]. Part of that was during that stretch where he was playing center. It was just one of those things that we can go to as we see all these positionless lineups in today’s NBA. It was just something I wanted to look at.”
The Magic’s centers are starter backup and
and
Gordon, who is 6-foot-9, is a talented rebounder who would bring extreme agility to the center spot.
For now, though, it’s most likely that Gordon will play the bulk of his minutes at power forward. His stat lines ballooned when Vogel moved him there following the midFebruary trade of
to the Toronto Raptors. both of his free-throw attempts.
His baskets weren’t just on dunks or layups as a roll man.
In the second quarter, he made an 11-foot jumper and a 15-foot jumper. In the third quarter, he drained a 14-foot jumper. In the final quarter, he made a 13-foot jumper.
It was change.
Last season Biyombo went 7 for 23 from 10-14 feet and 3 for 12 from 15-19 feet, according to the NBA’s data.
He made only 53.4 percent of his free-throw tries last season.
Suffice it to say, he worked on his shot over the summer.
“I was just trying to get better, honestly,” Biyombo said. “I don’t think it was just about me working hard on my shot. More than anything, I just wanted my free throws to get better over the summer. I think that was my main goal, really, and I feel like my free throws got a lot better, so I can position myself in a way to help my team. But other than that, I’m just trying to have a a dramatic better year overall. I think everybody got better.”
Vogel uses the word “laser” to describe knockdown shooters.
When Biyombo’s performance was brought up after Tuesday’s exhibition, Vogel responded, “He’s a laser . ... He played a really good basketball game. He didn’t get a big rebounding total, but he controlled the paint and really communicated and he got our defense together and organized. He really played a solid basketball game.”
Friday night’s matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Amway Center will be the Magic’s preseason finale.
How does Vogel plan to approach it considering
and sat out the last two exhibitions with minor injuries?
“I want to see how everybody is health-wise,” Vogel said. “But we’ll play a similar rotation to what we’re going to see opening night.”