Orlando Magic News for November 1st: Working on Screens, Needing a Superstar, Struggling to Score, and More

Zach McCann of the Orlando Sentinel reports the Orlando Magic have "been working on offensive drills that promote teamwork and ball movement" in response to their embarrassing loss to the Miami Heat last Friday, in which they finished with a franchise-worst 5 assists. Additionally, "setting solid screens was a major point of emphasis" at today's practice, McCann says.

Ken Berger of CBSSports argues the Magic must find a superstar sidekick for Dwight Howard if they hope to win a championship during Howard's prime years. "In this NBA," he says, "the championship contenders have multiple stars," but Orlando has only role-players alongside Howard. Orlando is "the same one-dimensional, deeply flawed team" from last season.

At MagicBasketball.net, Eddy Rivera put together this reel--I hesitate to say "highlight reel"--of the Magic's futile efforts to score against the Heat in that game. "One of the main things that stands out from the Heat is not only their pick and roll coverage, which was superb, but just their swarming team defense," he says. This video is not for the faint of heart.

Josh Robbins updates us on Howard's growth as a team leader:

For all of their talent and depth, the Magic in recent years seem to have lacked players who could snap the roster out of a funk with impassioned words.

The maturation of their all-star center might have changed the overall dynamic. Howard attempted to spur on his teammates on at least three different occasions during and after the Magic's 96-70 loss to the Miami Heat on Friday night.

Alex Kennedy of HOOPSWORLD reports the Magic are among the teams interested in acquiring second-year shooting guard Jermaine Taylor, UCF's all-time leading scorer, from the Houston Rockets. The Rockets need to clear a roster spot to sign free-agent center Erick Dampier and have decided to part ways with Taylor. "His services will likely go to the highest bidder this week," Kennedy says. Taylor averaged 4.1 points in 9.8 minutes per game in his rookie season with Houston, but shot just 37.8 percent from the field. It seems unlikely that Orlando would be willing to pay the luxury tax for a sixth guard, but we'll see what happens.

In this morning's NBA Scores And More post at SB Nation, Andrew Sharp writes "Orlando doesn't have the firepower" to contend with the Heat, and says the loss of Matt Barnes' perimeter defense hurts more than the Magic know. "We'd all like to see the Orlando-Miami rivalry blossom," he says, but it won't, because Miami is simply too good. "Sad," he concludes.