Without Paolo, a two-man game is key to Magic handling Nets

Brooklyn is bad on offense, but worse on defense; the Nets aren't out here to get stops.

What Brooklyn brings to the game is two high volume 3pt shooting tough shotmakers in Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr.

Orlando should not leave these two open from beyond the arc, so the plan is to run them off the line, make them drive, and force them to pass, which are both weaknesses in their games.

Closing off Brooklyn's two primary shooting valves is key to slowing down their team offense that's otherwise mostly full of rookie playmakers plus one legit rotation player in Nic Claxton rim-running down low.

2. Draw Nic Claxton out of paint to nerf his rebounding and rim-protection

Nic Claxton stands tall in Brooklyn, like the last tree after a forest fire. Claxton is far and away the best defender on the team, a strong rim-protector down low on one end who finishes strong at the rack on the other and rebounds well on both.

Claxton should be avoided and purposefully positioned out of the lane and away from the rim as possible; Wendell's floor-spacing can help stretch Claxton away from the rim to the corner to deter his rim-protecting impact.

As Orlando's available playmakers Franz Wagner, Desmond, Bane, Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black, and Tyus Jones run endless handoffs and pick-and-rolls, keeping Claxton away from the primary action (2 combined STL + BLK per game) will go a long way to making life easier for everyone else.

3. Unleash The Wagner - Carter Connection full time

With Paolo Banchero out tonight due to the groin injury suffered in New York, it's up to the rest of Orlando's offense to take over and stake a claim at what this team identity will look like without him going forward.

Will the answer simply be fully unleashing the Wagner - Carter Connection?

Last season, Orlando maintained a Top-4 seed and defense while missing Banchero for over a month of games, primarily due to that choice.

Now, the Magic also have Bane, Jones, and a still-recovering Suggs as other options to fill the playmaking void.

Prioritizing offensive sets through Wagner and Bane, with Suggs third, would likely form Orlando's best form of attack for the time being.

Heavy P&R and DHO volume for Wagner and Bane with the bigs Wendell Carter Jr. and Goga Bitadze, along with Suggs handoffs and off-ball screens for shooters thrown in the mix, is the prescription the doctor order for this Banchero-less Magic offense.