I want to try and add a feature to the OPP Community that hasn't been here in the recent past. I'm going to put out weekly progress reports reflecting stats and comments about individual players on the roster from the prior week's slate of games. As a teacher, this is right up my alley!

In the comments section below, please feel free to agree or disagree with any of my assessments, or simply just let me know if this is something that might be interesting to read on a week to week basis. Enjoy!

Week 6 Schedule: 12/2 (@ Golden St.), 12/3 (@ L.A. Clippers), 12/5 (@ Utah), and 12/6 (@ Sacramento)

Tobias Harris (4 GP), Grade: A+

MPG PPG REB AST TO FG% 3P% FT% 34 20.5 6.5 2.2 0.5 50 53 (8-15) 82 (14-17)

I'm very impressed with the way in which Tobias was able to score, and score efficiently, in Week 6. Over 50% from the field overall, over 50% from behind the arc (on 15 attempts), and over 80% from the line on 17 attempts. Offensively, that is getting it done. I also really appreciate the less than one turnover per game for the week, considering Tobias played nearly 35 MPG. Harris outplayed his counterpart, Rudy Gay, Saturday Night. I would have assumed with Nik out that Tobias would have pulled down more rebounds this past week, but that's really my only marginal complaint about his very solid production.

Victor Oladipo (4 GP), Grade: A+



MPG PPG REB AST TO STL FG% 3P% FT% 33 18.5 2.7 4.2 2.2 1.5 55 55 (5-9) 83 (15-18)

What an excellent week shooting the basketball for Victor Oladipo. He's connecting on his 3PT attempts (55%, second week in a row over 50% from the three), while also not taking too many. Victor is getting to the FT line, and he connected at a clip of over 80% this past week from the charity stripe. His play to begin the week against the Warriors kept us in the game.

Now technically, for a starting PG in the NBA, I would say Victor's assist numbers leave a lot to be desired. But we all know that Victor is no PG, he's just playing a lead guard role in this fluid positional rotation until a definitive answer to the position presents itself. I will point out that his posted 13/4 A/TO ratio over the weekend against the Jazz and Kings was a lot more PG-like. He was the man against the Jazz, single-handedly dominating the game at times, as he led us to victory in Salt Lake City.

Channing Frye (4 GP), Grade: D+



MPG PPG REB AST TO FG% 3P% 31 6.5 5.7 1 1 33 38 (8-21)

Slightly better numbers for Channing in Week 6 compared to last week (believe it or not). I feel like I have repeatedly written this week after week, but Frye is strictly a specialist at this point. He offers nothing to the Magic inside the arc. At least he knows his role (21 3P-attempts in Week 6), and he converted his attempts behind the arc at a respectable clip (38%) this past week.

Evan Fournier (4 GP), Grade: D+



MPG PPG REB AST TO FG% 3P% FT% 30 10.5 3.7 1.7 0.7 36 26 (5-19) 75 (3-4)

It's been a rough two weeks in a row now for Evan shooting under 40% from the field. I don't think we should be at a point yet where we want him to stop shooting. Shooters go through their peaks and valleys. The only thing I'm discouraged with regarding Evan's play is that he's not taking the ball as aggressively to the basket as he was earlier in the year (only 4 FT attempts in Week 6). One somewhat positive game against the Kings to close out the week saved Fournier from earning an even worse grade.

Elfrid Payton (4 GP), Grade: B-



MPG PPG REB AST TO STL FG% FT% 28 6.2 3.5 5.5 1.7 2.2 35 38 (5-13)

Once again, Elfrid did a little bit of everything this week. Most importantly, he is consistently providing energy, a defensive presence (over two steals per contest for the week), and solid all-around play off the bench. A near 3/1 A/TO ratio for the week coming from a rookie PG is a very respectable clip. But to be fair, Payton also took a step backward this week with his shooting percentages. U-G-L-Y, Payton has no alibi for his Free-throw shooting, it's plain ugly! Now that our schedule is slowing down a bit, I hope he continues to get thousands of shots up per day from the stripe, because I want him to keep trying to get to the line within the flow of the game. He's just got to convert at a better rate than a Rec./Intramural player.

Dewayne Dedmon (4 GP), Grade: A

MPG PPG REB BLK FG% 18 6 6.2 1 64

Dedmon came up huge in Week 6. I give Rob Hennigan a lot of credit for taking a flyer on Dedmon last season. The guy doesn't always get consistent minutes, but he always seems ready to play when his number is called. Dedmon's energy is infectious, and like O'Quinn, he always seems to do something positive when he's in the game. Kyle got the start in Golden St., but was then given the quick hook early on. Dewayne only played a total of seven minutes against the Warriors, but those seven minutes in relief of Kyle got the Magic going in that game early on. You can't ask for much more from a third Center on a roster.

Kyle O'Quinn (4 GP), Grade: A

MPG PPG REB AST TO BLK FG% FT% 17 13.2 4.5 1.5 1.5 1 70 100 (8-8)

Kyle's numbers were kind of all over the place in Week 6. What can you say about the shooting/scoring efficiency, excellent for even Kyle O'Quinn standards. Still, I would have thought that O'Quinn's rebounding numbers would have been a lot stronger considering he got four consecutive starts this past week. Obviously, his ejection Wednesday night against the Clippers (he played only 7 minutes) negatively misconstrued his weekly numbers.

The Magic are already benefiting from Kyle's excellent interior defense, and I think when Vucevic comes back, Kyle will provide an above average frontcourt option off the bench . His defense and presence down low will anchor an emerging 2nd unit on this roster moving forward. Kyle's "20-10" game against the Warriors was the second of his career (believe it or not, he had a 20-10 game late in his rookie season against the Bobcats as well).

Ben Gordon (4 GP), Grade: A

MPG PPG AST FG% 3P% FT% 16 10 1.0 65 25 (1-4) 100 (5-5)

"Mr. Green Light", that's what I call Ben Gordon. Successful teams have guys on their roster that know their roles, and Ben knows his. He's not on the court to do anything but shoot; to provide a scoring punch off the bench. Well in Week 6, Gordon played his role to perfection.

Head Coach - Jacque Vaughn, Grade: A-

The Magic have played more games this season than any other team in the NBA. Orlando has also played the most road games, having to have traveled for 16 of their first 23 games (unreal). The Magic have already won seven games on the road, which surpasses their total from last season (4), and ranks them second in the East (behind only Chicago with 10).

I think with all things considered (injuries, the schedule, etc.), Coach Vaughn has done a very admirable job with this team so far. We were able to pull out three victories on a six-game road trip out West, a feat even the elite teasm in the East would be thrilled with. This past week the Magic were able to split, winning the two games on the road that were probably thought to be winnable, but it's still the NBA (road victories of any kind are a good thing).

I try not to dwell on what could have been, but we all know what happened in Golden St. The only reason Coach Vaughn gets an "A-" from me for the Week is because of the lead we let slip away on Tuesday night. I'm sure looking back, there are quite a few things he would have liked to do differently to slow down their run in the 2nd half (like NOT having Tobias guard Steph Curry on the game-deciding last possession).

Grade of INCOMPLETE:

Willie Green (Lack of minutes)

Maurice Harkless (Lack of minutes)

Andrew Nicholson (Lack of minutes)

Luke Ridnour (Lack of minutes)

Aaron Gordon (Injured)

Devyn Marble (Injured)

Nik Vucevic (Injured)