Orlando Magic Fortifying Kia Center as Home Court Fortress

Home-and-away splits can offer valuable insight into the performance of a team and shed light on their overall record.

It’s not uncommon to see teams that tend to perform better in one setting or the other, though in this season in the NBA, there’s a trend that’s becoming harder to figure out. That’s the dominance the Orlando Magic have shown when playing in front of their fans at Kia Center.

Entering Friday’s action in the Emirates NBA Cup, the Magic boast a 7-6 overall record through the first 13 games of the season. However, when only analyzing their home record, the Magic have gone 6-0 while outscoring their opponents by an average of 17.0 points per game, including three wins by at least 20 points. In comparison, Orlando has won just one of seven contests on the road while suffering four losses by double digits.

The Magic are one of three undefeated teams at home in the NBA with the Cavaliers and Lakers the other teams achieving this feat. 

The Magic are scoring just 107.4 points per game, which ranks 26th in the league and ahead of just four teams: the Portland Trail Blazers, the Utah Jazz, the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Orleans Pelicans. 

However, that figure rises to 113.2 points per game when playing at home. It’s clear the scoring aspect of the game is not what’s driving the Magic to success this season, but their defensive efficiency.

The Magic rank first in the league in defense over the last 10 games, limiting opposing teams to shoot a league-worst 41.8% from the floor, including 35.4% from 3-point range. 

The Magic are taking their defense to heart, and it’s enough to keep them undefeated at home.