The Magic offense in basketball, as of 2011, is based off of head coach Stan Van Gundy's scheme for the Orlando Magic of the NBA. Van Gundy relies on motion to counteract the fact that his teams have rarely had a dominant one-on-one perimeter player that would favor isolation schemes. The Magic offense works because of ball movement and players' abilities to make the correct decision in a split second.
Basics of the Magic Offense
Van Gundy relies on a pick-and-roll offense in which penetration is followed by quick passes with shooters spotting up around the perimeter. The majority of the Magic offense begins with the point guard dribbling around a screen set by one of their post players. From there, the screener rolls toward the basket and the point guard makes a decision to either pass the ball to the screener or drive the ball. If the point guard penetrates, he can choose to shoot or pass to one of the perimeter players who will work the ball around for an open three.
The Importance of Three-Point Shooting
As Jordan Schultz of AOL Sports points out, the Magic offense begins and ends with the 3-point shot. Because of the emphasis on the pick and roll, three perimeter players are often standing behind the 3-point line waiting for the penetrator to kick the ball out. The offense works when the team is making a large percentage of their threes because the pick and roll along with crisp ball movement often lead to open threes.
Lack of Isolation Plays for Perimeter Players
A majority of the Magic plays begin with a two-man game and finish with either a kick-out three, the ball-handler shooting or giving the ball to the screener in the post area. Because of this, perimeter players are rarely isolated and asked to create their own shots. This is in stark contrast to many offenses in the league, including the Miami Heat, whose offense usually consists of Dwyane Wade or LeBron James in isolation against their defender. In fact, Orlando finished 2010 dead last in the NBA with 7.1 percent of possessions ending in isolation plays.
Van Gundy on the Hot Seat in Orlando
After reaching the NBA Finals in 2009, the Magic have failed to return to the Finals and were eliminated in the first round of the 2011 NBA playoffs. The decline of the franchise has lead to speculation that Van Gundy's offense is too centered on one type of play and that he could be out of a job soon in Orlando. Schultz stated in an article after their playoff loss in 2010 that the 3-point shot doesn't challenge talented players. He asserted that Van Gundy's offense allows stars such as Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis to camp out behind the 3-point line instead of being aggressive and going to the hoop.
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