Elfrid Payton looks to have turned a corner for the Orlando Magic, and it’s becoming clear that this may now be his team after all.
The Orlando Magic‘s six-game road trip out west did not go as planned. The team went 1-5, with their only win coming against the Portland Trail Blazers.
It gets worse than that though, as the Magic lost three of those five games by 10 or more points, with all six opponents scoring over 100 points on them as well.
Clearly then this was a trip to forget for the team as a whole, but some individual performances stood out that inspire hope moving forward.
Aaron Gordon is looking like a more complete offensive player with each game that goes by, and he hung a team-high 28 points on the Los Angeles Clippers.
Nikola Vucevic also appears more like the double-double machine he has been the past couple of years for the Magic.
His 30 points (another team-high) were a key factor in that lone win over the Trail Blazers.
Jan 14, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Orlando Magic guard Elfrid Payton (4) shoot the ball in the first quarter against Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
But no player’s stock rose more on that trip, and subsequent return home, than point guard Elfrid Payton.
He’s been in and out of the lineup this season (coming off the bench in 20 of his 45 games so far), and has seen Goran Dragic‘s name linked with a move to the team too.
So it was hugely encouraging to see him not only elevate his play on that road trip, but take responsibility for the play of the team as well.
He started off slow in that double-header out in Los Angeles, but his final four games out west, his scoring output rose dramatically (season average is 12.3 points per game).
He posted scoring efforts of 19, 28 (team-high), 20 (team-high) and 14 (tied team-high) points in those games, respectively.
Although the team only won once in that four-game stretch, Payton’s scoring allowed the floor to open up more for his teammates.
In fact, it may explain the surge in Gordon’s offensive play, as well as Vucevic getting back to doing what he does best around the opposition’s basket.
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Payton also looked more comfortable with his long range efforts, going 5-of-11 (45.5 percent) from three-point territory.
That’s a small sample size, but it is way up on the 29.3 percent he has shot from distance so far this season.
There is reason to believe that good form can continue, as Payton went 2-of-3 in their most recent win against the Milwaukee Bucks, their first game back at home.
Returning to the trip though, and one thing Payton did which didn’t even influence the game, may end up being the most telling sign that he is growing into a leader for this team.
After a 20-point loss to the New Orleans Pelicans (with Anthony Davis missing much of the second quarter due to injury), Payton’s actions at the final buzzer were telling.
Unlike his teammates who were shaking hands and sharing a laugh with their opponents, Payton stormed off the floor, looking visibly upset by the team’s tepid performance. He only had three assists himself, but he made five of his 10 shots and had 14 points in the game.
Obviously many NBA players are friends off the court, and this was the one time this season where the Magic would be in town.
Just remember: Elfrid Payton has the old New Orleans Hornets logo tattooed on his right arm. pic.twitter.com/0lI5qaSffO
— Crescent City Hoops (@CCHoopsNOLA) January 19, 2017
It’s not unacceptable to shake hands and share a moment with the opposing team after a regular season game in January. It happens all the time.
But I loved Payton’s attitude on this one, especially when you consider he likely had friends and family at the game himself as he was born and played college ball in Louisiana.
He cared that the team didn’t get the win against an entirely beatable Pelicans outfit. It may have represented a low for the team, but it could be a turning point for Payton.
In the subsequent game that followed, that win against the Bucks, Payton looked in great form. He played 15 straight minutes to start the game, and played 37 overall, by far a team-high.
Elfrid Payton goes for 11 points, 5 assists & 4 rebounds at the half.#PhantomCam pic.twitter.com/jg7IxQ0Lnv
— NBA (@NBA) January 21, 2017
He posted a plus/minus of +10, the best mark of any Magic starter. In fact, all four other starters had negative numbers by the end of the game.
He had six assists and three steals, and was a perfect 6-for-6 from the line. Payton was in control of his team winning against a playoff hopeful, and it was really encouraging.
His season numbers are also beginning to reflect his surge in form. His Player Efficiency Rating of 16.6 right now is a career-high.
Meanwhile his effective field goal percentage of 49.2 percent is also a career-high. His 28.9 minutes per game is actually the lowest mark of his career, but this can be attributed to coming off the bench for nearly half of the season so far. It is likely to continue going north as the season winds on.
So while the six-game road trip did not go well for the Orlando Magic as a whole, it feels like it may have been a breakthrough moment for Elfrid Payton.
With a lack of leadership on this team, the point guard has elevated his game in the last couple of weeks, and it’s beginning to really show on the court for his team.
It may be too late in the season to force a run to the postseason, but at least it should make the front office feel confident that they have their floor general of the future on this team already.
In a season that promised so much, but has delivered so little, it’s small victories like this that give fans hope next season can be different.
