Nicholson has seen his minutes cut of late, but still figures into the Magic’s long term plans.
Last season, the Orlando Magic finished with the worst record in the NBA (20-62).
This year’s squad has not looked much better.
Ever since Dwight Howard bolted Orlando in 2012, the Magic have been stuck in rebuilding mode. However with young players such as Victor Oladipo, Tobias Harris, Maurice Harkless, and Nikola Vucevic, the Magic are primed to be competitive once again sometime in the near future. Although the Magic have failed to produce results on the court, the team has had its fair share of bright spots. Veteran guard Aaron Afflalo is having a breakout season, averaging a career-high 20.0 PPG and nearly earning himself a spot in this year’s all-star game. Vucevic is also having a standout year, putting up double-double averages in points and rebounds for the second time in just his third NBA season.
Despite Orlando’s plethora of young talent, there is one player who fails to be mentioned on a consistent basis. This man, my unsung hero of the week, is Andrew Nicholson.
Nicholson, a second year player out of Saint Bonaventure, has the size, length, and skill set to become an elite forward in the NBA. The 6-foot-9, 250 pound big man has a 7-foot-4 inch wingspan, allowing him to be an domineering presence in the paint. The former Atlantic 10 player of the year also possesses great footwork as well as the ability to hit the mid-range jumper. As a rookie, Nicholson was selected to replace Pistons C Andre Drummond in the 2013 BBVA Rising Stars Challenge. The 24-year-old finished his rookie campaign with averages of 7.8 PPG and 3.4 RPG in just under 17 minutes a game. Per 36 minutes, Nicholson’s rookie numbers jump up to 16.9 PPG and 7.4 RPG, respectfully.
Despite his successful rookie season, Nicholson has seen his minutes decline due to the return of forward Glen Davis from injury and due to his struggles on defense. Head Coach Jacque Vaughn recently said that he is reluctant to play Nicholson against quicker and tougher power forwards. Nicholson is averaging just 7.6 MPG for his last 10 games and he has been in and out of the team’s rotation all season. However, the Magic are set to face the Pacers tomorrow, a team that Nicholson has played well against this season. Through two games against Indiana, Nicholson is averaging 10.0 PPG while shooting 56.3% from the field. Nicholson also played solid minutes in the Magic’s buzzer-beating victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder last night, chipping in six points on 3-4 shooting in six minutes.
In order to thrust himself back into the Magic’s rotation, Nicholson must improve his defensive play. The young Canadian must also gain the trust of his coach by improving his quickness and physicality in the post. If Nicholson is able to develop into a solid two-way player, he and Vucevic would become a deadly frontcourt combination for many years to come.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs2ojfCkxC4
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