Orlando Magic Have Been An Elite Defensive Team

One of the most surprising teams in the NBA during the 2023-24 season has been the Orlando Magic. After a brutal start to the 2022-23 campaign put them behind the eight-ball, they played some solid basketball to set the foundation for the future. Evidently, the future is now in Orlando.

The Magic are currently in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 42-30. They are three games clear of the NBA Play-In Tournament and have a real shot at moving up more in the standings. Currently, they are only 1.5 games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for fourth place and homecourt in the first round of the playoffs.

How did the Magic get to this point? A lot of people will point out reigning Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero as a big reason why. He made his first NBA All-Star Game this season, as he is the leader of a very impressive group of young players.

Franz Wagner has the look of a future All-Star, while Jalen Suggs is coming into his own, showing real improvement with his 3-point shooting. Six different players are averaging double-digit points per game this season, as the Magic take a team approach to offense.

But, their offense isn’t what intimidates opponents. They are only 23rd in the NBA in offensive rating and 26th in points per game. Where Orlando makes their hay is on the defensive side of the ball, where they have turned into one of the most elite teams in the league.

As shared by NBA University on X, the Magic have been the stingiest defense in the league since the All-Star break. They have a defensive rating of 106.8 in that span, which is in first place. To put into perspective how good that is, the last place Utah Jazz has a defensive rating of 120.9.