The Orlando Magic defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-103 on Sunday, ending their 16-game successful streak.
With this win, the Magic improved to 32-37 on the season. They’re presently eighth within the Japanese Convention and are preventing to take care of their play-in spot.
Whereas Orlando is having a down season in comparison with final 12 months, this win reveals what they’re able to.
Final season, Orlando shocked everybody as they emerged as a breakout workforce within the Japanese Convention. With a younger core of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs, the Magic captured the fifth seed within the east. Regardless of a primary spherical exit by the hands of the Cavaliers, the longer term appeared vivid in Orlando.
The harm bug
That will nonetheless be the case, however this younger workforce would face some setbacks to start out the 2024-25 season.
5 video games into the season, Banchero suffered a torn proper indirect. This harm would maintain him out of the lineup for 34 video games.
Most anticipated the Magic to sink to the underside of the convention with out their greatest participant, however Orlando discovered methods to remain afloat.
Wagner took the reins offensively in Banchero’s absence. In 20 video games with out his All-Star teammate this season, Wagner has averaged 26.1 factors, 6.3 assists and 6 rebounds.
Suggs would additionally step up offensively, as he averaged 16.4 factors with out Banchero.
Sadly for Wagner, he would endure the identical harm as Banchero and would go on to overlook 20 video games.
Inconsistencies in Orlando
By the point Banchero returned to the lineup on Jan.10, the Magic sat at 22-18. Nonetheless, Orlando has been unable to catch a constant rhythm since then. They’ve endured a few 5-game dropping streaks and a 4-game dropping streak in between.
Gamers coming out and in of the lineup has contributed to this inconsistency. Banchero, Suggs and Wagner have solely been capable of play a complete of 6 video games collectively this season.
Accidents would proceed to hang-out the Magic all through the season. In December, backup heart Mo Wagner tore his left ACL and would miss the rest of the season. Orlando would endure one other enormous blow when Suggs suffered a left knee harm in January. Suggs is out indefinitely, however has not dominated out a doable return this season.
The Magic are the bottom scoring workforce within the league at 104.4 factors per sport. They’re additionally the worst 3-point taking pictures workforce within the league, at simply 31.1%. It’s no secret that within the modern-day NBA, groups want to have the ability to shoot the 3-pointer with the intention to win.
Orlando’s protection
Regardless of their struggles, the one division that Orlando can cling their hat on has been their protection. The Magic are presently tied for 2nd in defensive ranking, with the Houston Rockets and LA Clippers, at 109.3. Orlando’s protection has saved them in video games the place they’re unable to attain.
With a couple of month left within the season, the Magic appear to be locked right into a play-in spot. When wholesome and at their greatest, Orlando is a harmful matchup for any of the east’s prime seeds.
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