Caleb Houstan has played sparingly with the Orlando Magic this season and recently had a stint in the G League to get consistent playing time on the court.
He believes those minutes have helped him stay ready to contribute.
Houstan logged seven appearances with the Lakeland Magic from Jan. 17-28 with playing time at a premium in Orlando. He responded by averaging 16.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and two assists on 41.1% shooting from the field.
The 32nd pick scored in double figures six times, including four 20-point games. He produced perhaps his best game on Jan. 22: 25 points, three rebounds and one assist.
“It is good just to get in more reps in NBA systems,” Houstan told Rookie Wire. “They run the same system down there so just having those systems that are the same and getting 30 minutes a game is great to go through all of those actions and reads.”
Houstan is averaging 4.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 33 games with Orlando. He has logged only three appearances this month and hasn’t played rotation minutes since Jan. 5, but he has given the team a strong lift in those outings, which each resulted in wins.
He produced eight points on Feb. 5 versus Charlotte and had seven points four nights later against Denver. On Monday, he chipped in five points against Chicago, including a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter to help the Magic maintain their lead.
Caleb Houstan is a 6’8 sniper. Look at that release. #MagicTogether pic.twitter.com/4J1X0nBugf
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) February 6, 2023
Players often perform well knowing exactly when they are going to see the court and how many minutes they may see on a given night. The Magic have used Houstan sporadically, which can be a difficult adjustment to make a first-year player.
Houstan, though, is staying ready for his opportunities.
“You just have to be ready and stay ready,” Houstan said. “We’re always doing workouts and playing 3-on-3. The games in the G League helped a lot, too. I’m just staying ready and having that mindset that you’re going to play every game so that way you’re always ready to go.”
Said Magic coach Jamahl Mosley:
He stays ready. Obviously, his shot-making ability is one thing we can lean on him for but the other side of it is his offensive rebounding; he is tenacious. Our coaches do a great job working with him on it every day because it is something we want to have pride in. He does a great job of that and then his defensive awareness and being in the right spot.
Coming into the season, the Magic viewed Houstan as a player that can space the floor and defend. He is shooting 38.6% from 3-point range and seems to have found his sweet spot on the court: He is converting 51.6% of his 31 attempts from the corner.
He has brought tremendous energy and effort to the second unit during his appearances and has found success crashing the offensive glass, averaging 1.6 per 36 minutes.
It is something Houstan takes pride in.
“I think just being aggressive in that aspect,” Houstan said. “Just crashing a lot so it kind of stops their defensive transition. It also gets you easy buckets that are unselfish. I just try to make an impact in that way with energy and stuff like that.”
Caleb Houstan finished with 7 points and 2 rebounds in the Magic win over the Nuggets.
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— Canadian Basketball Report 🇨🇦 (@CANBBReport) February 10, 2023
The Magic are among the teams in contention for the play-in race at this point of the season. They are currently 13th in the Eastern Conference and moved within three games of Toronto in 10th place with their win on Monday.
With 24 games left entering play on Tuesday versus the Raptors, the minutes Houstan and the rest of the team are playing will be rather meaningful. Those high-pressure situations will prove pivotal and Houstan will be ready for whatever is asked of him.
“I really just try to impact the game as much as I can,” Houstan said. “Crash the glass, cut, find an open window for 3s and just try to help as much as I can.”
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