The Orlando Magic’s offense had been stuck in neutral. Neutral might be kind. It was really stuck in reverse.
The Magic ranked last, or nearly last, in almost every offensive category. The ball stagnated as teams learned how to blow up and disrupt the Magic’s plays. Orlando was still finding its rhythm, all the while struggling to do one of the most basic things in basketball.
There were stray games where the offense clicked, but nothing that ever sustained itself. The Magic went from scoring 119 points in a Sunday win over the Oklahoma City Thunder to scoring 69 in a loss to the Indiana Pacers the next day.