There are countless advantages to playing alongside a top-five talent in this league, but there’s an added bonus when said talent requires constant attention in the painted area. That’s what Glen Davis has now in Dwight Howard.

Davis steps into an offense littered with jump shooting specialists intent on spreading the floor open for Howard. With stretch-fours and capable wingmen, it’s no surprise that the team has led the NBA in attempts from downtown the last two seasons. Even though it’s a highly criticized philosophy, that’s the Magic way — 4 out-1 in, three-pointers or layups.

Davis doesn’t have three-point range but he has a reputation for being a solid jump shooter because he made one on a big stage one time and attempted 355 shots from 16 – 23 feet last year, 7th most among all power forwards, despite only shooting 35% from that distance. Playing with Howard will only continue to provide him with those opportunities, but will it be the best option available? It was against the Heat.

The Magic repeatedly ran the same double-screen set during their third-quarter comeback against the Heat on Wednesday with Howard and Davis setting screens and Jameer Nelson attacking based on his read.

Nelson is able to slip in between the picks in the first clip because Joel Anthony is concerned about leaving Howard, even for a brief second, to hedge the screen. Chris Bosh is behind Davis, playing Nelson to curl around him, leaving the opening for Nelson to penetrate.

Nelson collapses the defense once he gets into the paint and has two options for a kick-out. He opts for Jason Richardson in the corner.

The Heat wise up a few plays later, not allowing Nelson split the two screens and having another player rotate over to Howard, but Nelson’s still able to create his own shot.

Where Davis finds his points is in the lack of defensive help sent his way due to the attention paid to Howard.

In the second and third clips, Howard rolls first out of the double screen quickly followed by Davis’s roll. In both instances, Davis’ man is still recovering from his hedge and has his back turned to the ball while Howard’s man cannot afford to leave him to rotate over to Davis. The result is two shots at the rim.

However, the first clip may be the type of shot we see most often from him. After J.J. Redick drives in after the kick-out, Davis simply fades behind his man to the vacated space and knocks down a jumper from a comfortable range.

As long as Howard keeps his man occupied out of this set, Davis will be free for enough time to receive a pass as his man recovers. He loves taking that 16 – 23 foot jump shot but at his shooting percentage, the Magic are hoping he remembers that it’s either layups or threes.

@giancasimiro