Bitadze-Carter Jr. lineup “works well” for Orlando Magic without Paolo Banchero

Around this time in the NBA calendar, about 25 games into the regular season, Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner says the scrapes and bruises are actually starting to hurt.

“But,” the fourth-year forward began during his appearance on The Jim Rome Show on Thursday, “I think we’re all hanging in there.”

By now, the Magic are used to playing despite injuries and absences. They have been without Paolo Banchero, their leading scorer and All-Star forward, for the last five weeks. Given that Banchero only recently returned to the pitch, it could be a few weeks before he can play again.

When a contributor his size is sidelined, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley says there is no complete replacement for what he does. But there are ways for others to get involved in his absence, and the collective can help support that process as he heals.

Two games after Banchero was out, starter Wendell Carter Jr. was also out. Rookie winger Tristan da Silva took Banchero’s place. Goga Bitadze started for Carter.

Carter returned a few games ago, replacing not Bitadze but da Silva in the starting lineup. This restructuring has proven productive.

Jalen Suggs, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Franz Wagner, Carter and Bitadze have now played four games together – one of seven Magic starting lineups that have spent at least 25 minutes on the floor. These five were metrically the best in Orlando:

“It’s not really a change,” Carter said Saturday while playing alongside Bitadze in the starting lineup. “We’re both defensive-minded players (and) we take a lot of pride in defense. When we play with Goga, he tends to make it a lot easier on that side.”

After an 8-point, 6-rebound, 5-block performance against Brooklyn on Friday night, Bitadze expressed the same sentiment.

“It’s easy,” Bitadze said of Carter. “Wendell is a great player. He can shoot from three distances. I didn’t shoot well, so he can spread the floor. We are a force, so it’s easy.”

Bitadze and Carter Jr. combined for 15 blocks and nine steals in the four games. Both are in the 91st percentile or higher in defensive EPM on dunks and threes.

It’s defense, more than anything else, that keeps a player in the Magic rotation. But this lineup featured the usual defense with better offense. They’ve found the rhythm and chemistry working together, Mosley said, and they’re playing right for each other and the team as a whole.

“It’s pretty difficult to score there,” Caldwell-Pope said. “When you had me, Suggs (and) Franz guarding the wings, and then when you’re down there – when you get past us – you’ve got the two big guys down there, shot blockers, alternating a lot of shots for us and also .” Cleaning the glass is when we get out and move forward with the transition. We’re starting to get better at that.” In fact, KCP enjoys its best shooting percentage with this lineup – 52% on three-shots, 59% on all baskets.

“I’m sure it’s an adjustment for both of them as well, but I feel like (Bitadze and Carter Jr.) are doing a great job,” Wagner said, while emphasizing the importance of their communication with Carter on the outside the position plays. “But I feel like Wendell is doing a good job of finding his way back into things.”

This lineup, born out of necessity, has helped keep the Magic afloat. You know it’s not permanent. The best version of magic comes with Banchero on the ground. When he returns, one of the two will be relegated to the second unit.

But the Magic have won 13 of 19 games without Banchero, and everyone on the team recognizes what the pairing of Bitadze and Carter Jr. has brought to Orlando. Because no matter how long it takes, despite the aforementioned difficulty for opponents to score points and the freedom it creates for the Magic’s offense, they still feel like they can be even better.

“We always expect the best and don’t let other teams score at all,” said Bitadze. “We would love not to let them score. But it worked well.”

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