Orlando Magic Not Learning Lessons

 

The Orlando Magic have lost 12 straight games and there seems to be no end in sight to their horrid losing streak.  Despite this head coach Jacque Vaughn continues to look on the bright side.  Following the team’s loss Friday to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Vaughn talked to the media about how the game of basketball continues to teach you lessons and about how the team complicates the game which is why they struggle.  The game of basketball does teach lessons but the Magic are not learning from them.

 

The Magic were not supposed to be good this season.  The franchise was built around All-Star center Dwight Howard so when he forced his way out of Orlando this past off-season, it looked like dark days ahead.  Even though the Magic are not supposed to be winning, they should still be improving.  They should not be making the same mistakes game after game.  That is what’s contributing most to this lengthy losing streak.

 

One problem is that the Magic must become a better defensive team.  The Magic lack talent and are very young.  They are not going to outscore their opponents so the only way to keep games close is with good team defense.  But the Magic continue to struggle with this aspect of the game as they continually breakdown on defense and are seemingly incapable of defending without fouling.

 

A bigger problem for the Magic is their turnover ratio.  Turnovers were not that much of a problem at the beginning of the year but are increasingly become their main weakness.  The Magic are currently in the middle of the league averaging 14.7 turnovers per game but that number is rising.  On Friday night the Magic committed 19 turnovers which turned into 22 Cavalier points.

 

To make matters worse they are not creating turnovers.  While they average 14.7 turnovers per game, opponents are averaging just 12 turnovers per game which is the lowest in the league.  Their turnover ratio of plus 2.7 is also the worst in the league this season.

 

Nobody is expecting the Magic to contend for a playoff spot but the young team is expected to improve throughout the season.  They should be learning from their mistakes and working hard to correct them but this doesn’t seem to be the case.  They continue to have the same flaws and there is virtually no improvement on them.  So while Vaughn seems to understand that the team is being taught lessons, he must find a way to make sure they learn them.

 

Sean Rollins is a New England Patriots writer for www.RantSports.com.  Follow him on Twitter @seanrollins, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.