The Orlando Magic learn to be physical

The Orlando Magic have not been considered a physical team in the past. Frank Vogel wants to change that as he emphasizes this in practice.

The Orlando Magic were not happy with how they played against the Cleveland Cavaliers last Wednesday.

The final score was relatively inconsequential. It was the second preseason game after all, and the Magic were without three starters. Coach Frank Vogel was experimenting some with lineups and combinations. It was not a perfect view of the team.

Still, the Magic trailed by 26 points at the half. The Cavaliers did whatever they wanted against the Magic. It was not the kind of foundation or presence on that end Vogel wanted from his team.

Not in the least.

Vogel came to Orlando promising to bring with him a physical brand of defense. Players said in the run up to the first preseason game they wanted to make sure opponents knew they played the Magic every time they stepped onto the floor.

That decidedly did not happen when the Magic last played Wednesday.

“The game against Cleveland was obviously tough,” Evan Fournier said. “We definitely have to learn from it. Having maybe more of that nastiness, playing more physical. We have the guys to play like that. But it’s a mentality. We have to get this in our heads that we are going to play physical and we’re going to be more physical than the other team tonight. We didn’t do that.”

The tape did not lie. Neither did the ease in which the Cavaliers scored in the first half of that game. The Magic certainly did not have the physical advantage in that game.

Orlando, despite its desire to be known as a defensive team, is not considered a “tough” team or a particularly physical team. It is hard to measure in any mode other than reputation.

“Physicality” is about as intangible a trait as they come. Everyone knows it when they see it like in the Memphis Grizzlies — and sometimes a team has it even though the narrative is they do not (see: Golden State Warriors).

The Magic are spending their practice trying to grow and cultivate their own brand of physicalness.

“You’ve got to challenge your guys to get after it and not make things easy on the defensive end,” Vogel said. “You want the offensive player and the man you’re guarding to smell you. You don’t want to be too far off with kid gloves. You want to be physical with them.”

That is quite the image. But apt to describe the kind of style and physical presence the Magic want to have on the floor.

The constant line from coaches and players is they want the other team to “feel” them throughout the game and after games too.

Vogel said the team works on teaching physicality through drill work, stopping play in scrimmages and throughout practice to point out moments where the team needed to increase its physicality. Vogel said every player has to be challenged to play a physical style whether it is instinctual or not.

And, again, measuring it is extremely tough.

The Magic are seemingly trying to play a brand of offense that does not lend itself to physical play. Fast-paced, tempo offenses do not typically make their reputation as physical defenses.

Yet, the Magic are trying to have it both ways. And they believe the skills they need to run their offense successfully will boost their physical defensive style.

Serge Ibaka said it is a mentality, but it starts with the team being in good shape. Orlando has spent much of its camp working on conditioning drills to prepare both for the offense and the defense to come.

Jeff Green added that playing a physical style goes beyond mere conditioning. It takes good communication. With players getting up into opposing players, there is a better chance of getting beat off the dribble. The team always has to stay in control.

“First it starts off with communication, being the aggressor,” Jeff Green said. “Not allowing teams to put us on our heels. Make sure we are up on the ball, rebounding and putting a body on guys.

“Even in practice going against each other, they feel us. They know there is a presence there. We’re going to play physical, that’s what coach wants us to do. But it also allows us to get stops and get out in transition to help our offense.”

There are a lot of elements to physical play. Many of them subtle — like bumping a cutter, contesting a catch as much as contesting a shot or getting through or around a screen while keeping contact with the ball handler, impeding their progress. It is being physical but not fouling too.

It is a difficult balance. But setting a physical tone can go a long way to dominating and winning a game.

Learning to play physical is something that is more than innate. It starts in practice.

“It’s got to be a habit you work on every day,” Fournier said. “From every drill, you’ve got to do it as hard as you can. Not backing down from any challenge. That’s the only thing I see. You’ve got to build it. You’ve got to get used to playing physical.”

Whether the physical identity takes or becomes consistent will be another ongoing process throughout the season. The Magic are clearly still learning how to unlock that inner part to their nature.