ORLANDO – While coach Steve Clifford is quick to point out that early-season games in the NBA are "a little bit of a crapshoot," he still has an unwavering confidence that his Orlando Magic are ready for what lies ahead over the next 82 games.
The Magic open their 30th anniversary season tonight against the rival Miami Heat at the Amway Center. Clifford, who was an assistant coach during Orlando’s most recent glory days from 2007-12, has been hired to get the franchise back into contention. Since he was hired in late May, Clifford has sensed an intense hunger among the Magic’s players and he’s seen it manifest itself in the manner in which they have worked throughout training camp and the preseason.
Tonight, against the rival Heat, the Magic get to show off their new-look team for the first time in a game that counts in the standings.
``I think we’ll compete hard and I really believe we’ll be a hard-playing team,’’ Clifford said. ``These first couple (of games), it’s a little bit of a crapshoot and you don’t know, but again what it will do is it will give us an idea of where we’re at and what we have to work on.’’
The Magic return a veteran core of Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon, D.J. Augustin, Jonathon Simmons and Terrence Ross and they will be incorporating rising young players Jonathan Isaac and Mohamed Bamba into their regular rotation. Isaac was the No. 6 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, while Bamba was the No. 6 pick this past June and both of them could be considered X-factor type of players.
Isaac missed most of his rookie season with a series of ankle injuries, while the 7-foot Bamba will be making his NBA debut tonight. He was a standout in the preseason and said he doesn’t expect to be nervous before his first official NBA game.
``There’s been so many different things that we’ve done to lead up to this moment, but to have that first official NBA game, I’m sure that’s something that will be really special,’’ Bamba said.
This is the third straight season that the Magic and Heat will open the regular season at the Amway Center. Miami won two years ago by battering Orlando with paint points, while Orlando was victorious last season thanks to a strong closing kick by Fournier. The veteran guard scored seven of his 23 points over the final 2 ½ minutes to preserve a 116-109 Orlando victory.
For the Magic to win tonight, Vucevic and Bamba will need to play well against Miami center Hassan Whiteside, who compiled 26 points and 22 rebounds in last year’s season-opening game in Orlando. The 7-foot Whiteside gave the Magic fits in the preseason game in Miami last week and Orlando missed all eight shots that it attempted while going at the big center. Clifford is hoping that the Magic can use the shooting of Bamba and Vucevic to pull the shot-swatting center away from the rim.
``There’s being aggressive and then there’s understanding that (Whiteside) is not just like above-average; he’s a difference-maker,’’ Clifford said. ``There are only a couple of guys in the league, to me, who can do what he can do. He has closing speed that is incredible and a great knack for doing it. So, to think you are going to drive the ball at him and challenge him – it’s either going to be a blocked shot or a missed shot.’’
Fournier, who was named a tri-captain by the Magic along with Vucevic and Gordon, is eager to see if his team can finally mature enough this season and make a run at the playoffs. The veteran is heading into his fifth season in Orlando and he is hopeful that this one goes vastly different than the previous four. For that to happen, Fournier said the Magic must pour their focus into each individual game – starting tonight against the Heat.
``Definitely, (there’s a curiosity), but that’s something we should focus on before the season,’’ Fournier said. ``I’m ready to play tonight and I’m not thinking about, `how good are we going to be this year?’ or `what are we capable of as a group?’ I’m not thinking about that now. I’m thinking about Miami, my matchup and the plays. We should all be focused on that.’’
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