Markelle Fultz is one of the best game managers in the league. In his NBA career so far, he has averaged just 1.9 turnovers per game. He is one of the very few active point guards with at least 80 starts averaging less than two turnovers. In the 18 games he played last season, Fultz averaged 2.2 turnovers.
After Fultz returned to the lineup on Feb. 28 last season, the Magic played at the ninth-fastest pace in the league. The Magic’s average possession count per 48 minutes with him on the ground was 103.01, which was the most on the team during that span. Orlando is currently 23 years oldrd in rhythm and ranks 24e at transition points.
Playing often this season without a true point guard, the Magic have struggled to generate assists. In fact, they rank last in the league in this category with just 21.2 cents per game and second to last in potential assists with 40.6 of them. After Fultz returned last season, Orlando averaged 25.4 assists, tied for 15e in the league. Before that, they averaged 23.2 assists, which ranked 23rd during this time.
While the Magic shot a high percentage near the basket, it didn’t from midrange. From five to nine feet, they shoot just 38.6 percent, and from 15 to 19 feet, they shoot 36.8 percent. Both of these percentages rank in the bottom 10. In the 2019-20 season — the year Fultz played 72 games — he shot 48.9 percent from 15-19 feet, which was one of the best marks this season by a starting point guard.
Currently, Magic Rank 25e 3 total drive and kick points taken, according to Second Spectrum tracking data. This is a critical statistical category in the era of high-volume 3-point shooting. The best three catches are fixed and spray three feet. It should come as no surprise that the league’s top two teams, the Celtics and Bucks, rank No. 1 and No. 3 respectively in this area. Fultz has been good in his career getting into the paint and spotting open shooters on the perimeter when the defense crumbles.
