NBA Power Rankings week 15: OKC Thunder and teams hit trade deadline

Orlando Magic:

Offense: (105.0)  26th
Defense: (106.8) 7th
Net: (minus -1.8) tied 17th

 Results Week 15: (0-2) Lost Heat: 92-113, Heat: 89-92
Games Week 16: (4 games) Mon at Hornets | Weds at Celtics | Thurs at Knicks | Sat vs Bucks

Another club hit hard by injury and is the poster child for ill-fitting lineups. On any given night they look like the team who finished last season as one of the best defensive clubs and was efficiently stroking shots from the perimeter. Yet, was that a mirage?

It might be since Orlando’s Achilles heel this season is finding constancy on the offensive end of the floor. Again, that has much to do with trying to put square parts in holes shaped like triangles. They might also have the most players on one club who have tendencies for hot and cold shooting streaks.

Factor that into the inconsistency issues — so unless everyone enters a hot streak at the same time it spells trouble.

For now, they remain seeded on the bottom rung of the Eastern playoff ladder currently four games up on those Bulls I thought might be in the mix.

With less than 10 days until the break we’ll need to keep a close eye on this club down the stretch. Can they emulate their success of last season’s stretch run? Will the absence of the injured Jonathan Isaac make that impossible?

And— will a trade deadline move (Aaron Gordon?) equate to finding a square to put in the square slot?