Goga Bitadze's Under-The-Radar Career Year Is Helping Keep Magic Afloat

Since Nov. 4, Bitadze has started all 26 games that he's played (he missed one game as a late scratch with an ankle sprain). In those starts, the 6-foot-10 big man from the eastern European nation of Georgia is averaging 10.9 points on 65.9 percent shooting, 9.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.8 blocks and a steal per game.

"He's just been consistent," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley after BItadze had a 14-point, 11-rebound, 3-assist, 2-block line versus the New York Knicks. "He's doing exactly what we need him to do. Defending the right way, taking on all challenges, trying to do a great job of protecting the rim, pick-and-roll coverages. [He's] not afraid to offensive-rebound and go back up with it.

"I think he's doing a fantastic job, the way in which he's playing, just being very consistent, and that's what we need."

By nearly all measures, it's been a career year for Bitadze.

He's one-tenth of a point shy of joining Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, Victor Wembanyama, and Chet Holmgren as the only players averaging at least 10.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.5 steals and 1.5 blocks a game.

The injury bug has been cruel to the Magic this season:

• Leading score Paolo Banchero went out after just five games due to a torn right oblique. Currently in the "return to competition reconditioning" phase, he'll likely miss his 30th consecutive game Wednesday night versus Detroit.
• Franz Wagner, who was playing at an All-Star level, tore his right oblique Dec. 6 at Philadelphia. The Pistons game will be his 10th consecutive absence.
• Moe Wagner, the most offensive-geared of the three centers in Orlando's frontcourt rotation, suffered a season-ending left ACL tear 10 days ago.

So the lineups around Bitadze have fluctuated, but with him the Magic have found a constant among the many variables. Orlando has won 17 of his 26 starts.

Since Franz's injury in particular, Bitadze is averaging 13.9 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.7 blocks over the past nine games.

Seven NBA players have at least seven double-doubles since Dec. 8:

• Domantas Sabonis,
• Ivica Zubac,
• Karl-Anthony Towns,
• Alperen Sengun,
• Anthony Davis,
• Trae Young, and
• Goga Bitadze

Goga has amassed 13 double-doubles this year. He had 10 total for his four previous NBA seasons.

"My job is easy: Set good screens, roll. Get offensive rebounds, finish around the basket [and] protect the rim," Bitadze said after his 19 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a blocked shot helped see the Magic to a comeback victory against Brooklyn. "It's not that hard. So, I just try to stay consistent, keep working, trust God's timing and, honestly, it's been working out well."

Bitadze's defense ability is his calling card. His 3.9 block percentage ranks in the 93rd percentile for bigs (Cleaning the Glass) and he's the Magic's best rebounder.

Offensively, he's an old-school center. Nearly all of his scoring comes from the lane, where elbow grease and determination are as much separators as scoring ability and talent. His production isn't flashy and sometimes can be overlooked.

His role as a connector in the Magic offense, however, isn't going unnoticed.

"[He's] a better playmaker than most people realize," Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. "He's having a heck of a year for them. It's not just the rim protection; it's what he's brought to them offensively as well."

"I think he relieves a lot of pressure," Mosley said recently. "A lot of times, these guards — I talked about it a little bit earlier with the group. (Defenses) are pressuring our guards, picking up full-court, active in the pick-and-roll. So his ability to playmake and make the right reads at the right time is a great quality that he has."

Added Mosley: "High basketball IQ, understands the plays to be made at the right time, and just the willingness to pass the basketball and make the right play is something that we're very thankful for him to be able to do that."

In the wider NBA, Bitadze's impact has flown under the radar. That's how he probably prefers it.

But part of Orlando's ability to stay afloat while missing vital players — 20-14, fourth in the Eastern Conference — must be credited to finding firm ground to stand on with center production.

Bitadze has stepped forward to play a key role in the Magic's success.