David Akhaladze

Bitadze is a monster for the Magic

Orlando Magic are fading fast. The team lacks the elite defense, that was among the best in the league for a couple of months. Their stars are having a sup bar seasons after getting back from injuries and they never really had a good playmaker. So, the sky is not the limit for this team anymore. They are limping and fighting for the place in the play inn tournament and a chance to get buried by The Cavs or those immortal Celtics. The choice is up for a grabs.

And while the Magic lost another tough game, this time falling to a streaky Houston 108:116, one player had a hell of a game. Goga Bitadze was the lone bright star for Orlando.

Playing another game as a substitute for Wendell Carted Junior, Goga was the monster inside the paint. He had 19 points on 8 for 10 shooting and added 8 rebounds (6 – offensive), 1 steal and a blocked shot for the Magic. Bitadze had a tough task: playing against a demolition hammer that is a duo of Alperen Sengun (22 points, 12 boards, 4 assists) and Steven Adams (3 points, 6 rebounds), Bitadze was a real threat. He was scoring mostly in the paint and doing a great job of limiting the opposition on offense. Simply said, Goga was everywhere.

These Magic were shooting bad from the distance (9 of 35). These Magic are slow on defense. And Orlando, that once occupied the Top 4 place in the Easter Conference standings, sits outside the play offs and the game versus Atlanta looming in the play inn event. Go and try to stop those fast paced Hawks and that Mister Young as well.

Goga is solid. Goga is playing a team first basketball and Goga can give you that elusive double double on any given night. But Goga should play more. He is not disrupting the team chemistry. He is a great teammate and Bitadze could be useful in play inn games.

The Magic lost another encounter.

Goga had another great game.

Time to click together?