AP Photo/John Raoux

BOX SCORE

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Sunday night is how legitimate Andrew Nicholson looked. The kid has all the tools. His footwork is sound, his court vision is above-average, and he is as deliberate as he is patient. The guy flat out executes and he’s not scared.

As is the case with most teams, when Orlando can attack and keep the pace up, they find success. Attacking options are few and far between, but Jameer Nelson and J.J. Redick carried much of that load on Sunday. When those two put the ball on the floor and went towards the basket, things happened. The other thing that Nelson and Redick gave to the lineup was a sense of calmness. The Magic, at times, get a little carried away with ball movement and “happy feet.” Those two veterans have the ability to slow things down.

It’s horrifying to think what this Magic team looks like when both Redick and Nelson are on the bench. Not only are they the veteran leaders, but they are the only guys on the court who can slow things down for Orlando and seemingly the only guys who can attack with any confidence. For the most part, Redick and Nelson platooned and things worked out well for them. There were a few moments when E’Twaun Moore became the primary ballhandler. Yikes.

Regardless of who is doing it, however, back-cutting and off-ball movement were the keys to the Magic’s win. Since Orlando lacks star power and big-time post players, they require a five-man effort in moving without the ball, rotating the ball with pace, and running the floor well. When they can do that, they will find some success this year. The back-cutting, high-velocity offense is a lot of fun to watch when it’s clicking, but it appears as if it’s going to require this team to be pretty consistently deep rotation-wise, which is still a concern.

Sunday was a great look at a new breed of Magic basketball, no longer relying on the three-ball as heavily as it once did. The first 28 points were scored inside the three-point line and it wasn’t until the second quarter until Moore opened things up with a triple.

Similarly, Orlando’s defense will remain a key to finding success on the basketball court. They were strong on their rotations and had active hands (especially in the post) against the Spurs. Those situations create transition opportunities and allow guys like Moore, Redick, and Nelson to really push the ball. Luckily for them, they have guys like Gustavo Ayon and Andrew Nicholson, who really run the floor well for big men.

E’Twaun Moore had a strong first half and for a few moments looked like a legitimate perimeter threat, especially as he caught the ball on a kickout started by a Redick or Nelson drive. Moore regressed, though, in the second half.

MVP (Most Valuable Player)

Andrew Nicholson. The rookie shined once again (18 points on 7-for-8 shooting from the floor). More importantly, the young kid looked like he belonged on the floor at all times. He rebounded well, picked his spots, and executed within the offense.

X-Factor

Glen Davis. Davis is an often unmentioned spark in so many places and it’s often forgotten that he is capable of creating his own shot, finding mismatches, and stepping confidently into open looks.

AP Photo/Christian Palma

BOX SCORE

If you’re a Magic fan and you didn’t watch the game, it’s easy to look at the final score, see that the Orlando Magic lost, and shrug your shoulders in a display of indifference.

With Stan Van Gundy sipping Diet Pepsi somewhere without an NBA head coaching gig, Dwight Howard taking his flatulent talents to the City of Angels, and Ryan Anderson playing small forward for the New Orleans Hornets (wait, what?), it’s no secret that the Magic are projected to have one of the worst records in the league this season. Without the presence of one of the best coaches in the NBA, a top five player, and a premiere stretch four, wins are going to be hard to come by for Orlando. That much is certain.

But the Magic’s loss against the Hornets wasn’t because of a lack of talent (it should be noted that guys like Arron Afflalo and Al Harrington did not play). It was a matter of circumstance.

After three quarters, Orlando was up 66-54 and in total control of the game. That’s because the Magic’s starters severely outplayed New Orleans’ starting lineup. And Orlando did it primarily by playing a hybrid brand of basketball offensively.

Head coach Jacque Vaughn wants to play an up-tempo style while allowing the players to be creative on offense (i.e. not call plays every single possession, which is a direct contrast from the Van Gundy days). And that was reflected on the court, as the Magic played with a bit more pace and flow than what is usually seen from them. But remnants of Van Gundy’s philosophy still remain offensively (such as Vaughn’s desire for player and ball movement), as Orlando ran pick-and-roll sets and initiated plays from the elbows (“Horns” set). It was interesting to watch the game unfold and see two different philosophies play out on the floor in unison with each other.

Aside from the fact that Orlando’s second unit coughed up a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter to lose the game, not much else can be taken away from the Magic’s first preseason tilt. Apart from Gustavo Ayon’s performance.

Ayon, playing in his home country of Mexico, impressed in his Magic debut. Starting at center, Ayon played to his strengths. He did a good job of scoring in pick-and-rolls, running the middle of the floor in transition, and passing out of the high post. His defense was generally solid but then again, his primary assignment was dreadful (Robin Lopez was -22 in roughly 22 minutes of playing time) so take that observation with a grain of salt.

Ayon is no Dwight. He’s not a once-in-a-generation type of center built like a Greek god. He’s merely a fundamentally-sound center and a good player. And that’s okay.

MVP (Most Valuable Player)

Before Orlando let the game slip away in the fourth quarter (getting outscored by 17 in the period), Ayon set the tone early with his energy and effort. He finished with 12 points and six rebounds.

LVP (Least Valuable Player)

It’s one thing to be underwhelming (Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers), it’s another thing to struggle (Anderson), but to look like you don’t belong in an NBA uniform? Like Lopez did? That’s bad.