​The Orlando Magic secured their first win of the 2026 NBA Summer League with a 93-88 victory over the Miami Heat on Saturday. Following the game, coach D.J. Bakker reflected on his team’s performance and reiterated several points from the pre-Summer League preparations that are now beginning to show on the court. Here are some of his remarks.
“We’re really stressing two-way play and encouraging the guys to be complete players. It’s tough to simply rely on scoring to earn minutes in the NBA; the game demands balance on both ends of the floor. There’s individual pride involved, and I’ve spoken about how we want our players to handle matchup versatility. Being able to switch and guard guards, switch onto bigger players when needed, that’s crucial. What stood out to me was the way they limited their opponent to 36 points in the second half, especially after a first half where two players combined for 34. We also did a solid job of keeping them out of transition, taking care of the ball, and, off the ball, Noah showed good positioning and remained in proper defensive stance. It’s about both strong one-on-one defense and staying engaged off the ball, even when your man doesn’t have the ball, to stay in the right spots.”
“The energy across the board was strong, and that carried over to the offense, including on the boards. Crashing the glass often generates energy, and you could hear the bench respond—the chatter grew louder as players fed off that energy. It’s essential to sustain that level of effort for an extended period, and today I felt we began with the right mindset and approach.”
“I mentioned at halftime that the first-half performance wasn’t acceptable, and I was encouraged by how the players answered. When a leader speaks and his message is heard, and the team goes out to execute, that’s a very positive sign for leadership dynamics on the squad.”
“I’m impressed by the coachability and the desire to improve from game to game. In the previous game, one of our youngsters guarded in the pick-and-roll and picked up three fouls with aggressive swiping—our instruction was to protect the rim and avoid unnecessary fouls. Today, I didn’t notice that issue, and if there was any swipe, it didn’t cost us a foul. He’s shown a willingness to learn, to watch film, and to adjust. I’ve praised his communication and eye contact; when you tell him something, he absorbs it and applies it.”
These comments underscore Bakker’s emphasis on two-way play, attentive off-ball defense, high-energy rebounding, and a culture of coachability and continuous improvement as the Magic move forward in the Summer League.