The Orlando Magic announced on March 12 that head coach Jamahl Mosley has agreed on a four-year contract extension that will keep him at the helm through the 2027-28 season.
President of Basketball Operations, Jeff Weltman, announced the extension. He also took time to praise Mosley for the job he has done, saying “Jamahl and his staff have done a tremendous job not only this season, but since we hired him back in 2021. His preparation, work ethic, ability to connect with the players, and passion he brings to the job every day brings positive results, both on the court and off. We are very happy to have Jamahl lead the Magic for years to come.”
Mosley has improved the team’s record in each season he has been the head coach, from 22-60 in 2021-22, to 34-48 in 2022-23, to 37-28 currently. The Magic are fifth in the Eastern Conference as of March 12, having already surpassed their total wins from the season prior.
What’s Driving the Magic’s Improvement?
A large portion of the Magic’s success can be attributed to their vastly improved defense. The Magic are currently fifth in the league with a 111.3 defensive rating. Last season, they finished with a defensive rating of 113.7, 18th in the league. The year prior, they were 19th in the league.
Their defensive prowess becomes even more important when drilling into their offensive numbers. The Magic’s 112.6 offensive rating ranks 23rd out of 30 teams in the league, meaning they are winning games largely due to their defense.
First-time All-Star Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are the cornerstones of the franchise, without question. Banchero is averaging 22.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, while Wagner is adding 20.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. However, much of the Magic’s success this season on the defensive end is due to the play of Jonathan Isaac and Jalen Suggs.
When Jonathan Isaac is on the court this season, the Magic have a defensive rating of 104.8, which would be far and away the best mark in the league. When he is off of the court the team has a defensive rating of 114.4, which would rank 13th in the league.
Suggs has been one of the best perimeter defenders all season and is currently 9th in the league in total steals. Isaac is tied for second in the league with a defensive estimated +/- of +3.6, while Suggs is tied for the eighth-best mark with +2.5.
Looking Forward
The Magic have 17 games remaining this season. They are currently just a half of a game back on the New York Knicks for fourth place in the East.
It has been a rough couple of games for the Magic, who fell to the Knicks 98-74 on March 8 and then were defeated 111-97 on March 10 by the Indiana Pacers. Still, if their upcoming schedule is any predictor, the Magic are in a good position during this final stretch of games. Per Tankathon, the Magic have the sixth-easiest remaining schedule for the remainder of the season, playing teams with a combined winning percentage of just .46 from here on out.
Their next game will be against the Brooklyn Nets, who are currently 26-39, on March 13.
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