Jonathan Isaac looked a bit sluggish to start the season. The numbers did not suggest he had the same defensive impact that the team has been used to for years. It never felt like Isaac was completely right.
Was it that he was playing at a heavier weight? Isaac reported he put on muscle during this offseason — the team listed him at 240 pounds but Isaac reported himself at 250 pounds, a gain of nearly 25 pounds from his playing weight last year.
Was it the change in the Magic’s rotation with the team losing its backup point guard in Markelle Fultz and many players having to reconfigure their roles?
There were a lot of possible explanations.
But another could have been it was early in the season. A lot was going on – and an early season injury after a hard fall in the opening game against the Miami Heat did not help. And a player like Isaac especially with his injury history may have just needed some time to get comfortable again.
After blocking three shots, several in spectacular fashion, in Wednesday’s 94-90 win over the Indiana Pacers and then adding eight points and 11 rebounds with two 3-point makes, Isaac has probably put those concerns to rest.
Like his team, Isaac it seemed needed some time to get his feet back under him to start the season. Especially now that he is playing without any injury restrictions – there was no question he was playing in the back-to-back.
“It’s been a slow start to the season,” Isaac said. “But I’m starting to feel like myself again with my energy level and getting back to running up an down and playing heavier minutes. I feel great. Thanking God for the opportunity to be healthy and contribute to the team. That’s where my focus is at.”
Isaac has had a slow start to the season. He is averaging 6.2 points per game and shooting 47.9 percent from the floor and 32.0 percent from three. He is averaging only 1.6 “stocks” per game and 4.4 rebounds per game.
Even in the early part of the season, his defensive impact was far less pronounced than it had been.
But Isaac’s play has ticked up in recent games. In the first four games of this homestand, he is averaging 7.5 points per game, shooting 60.0 percent from the floor and 44.4 percent from three, grabbing 5.0 rebounds per game and recording 1.8 stocks per game.
That was capped off with an eight-point, 2-for-3 3-point shooting, three-block effort in the win over the Pacers. That included some spectacular blocks on his part.
To further solidify things, the Magic have a 97.8 defensive rating with Isaac on the floor, the best mark of any rotation player.
Isaac indeed is looking and playing like himself again. And if his offense is coming around, that only amplifies how good his defense can be.
This is something that can be seen throughout the Magic’s roster. Players and people needed time to settle into the season. Franz Wagner was sick through the early weeks of the season and had to recover before he could rejoin the team.
A player like Isaac probably needed some time to get his feet under him especially considering his injury history and the increased load he was expected to have.
Like so many other things with this team, after the difficult road trip, everything has settled down since beginning this homestand. And the Magic are starting to get their feet under them and look how everyone expected.
