Orlando Magic cannot pinpoint home woes, have last chance to change it
The Orlando Magic have struggled at home this year. To build momentum for the offseason, winning at home is a major goal the rest of the way.
At the end of the 2014 season, there was a sense of optimism around Amway Center. This team was ready to take a step forward, they said. The Magic had shown a ton of resolve at home the previous year, scoring big wins over the Thunder and the Pacers.
Orlando finished 19-22 at home last year. Fans could come to Amway Center expecting a win no matter who it was again. The Magic’s effort and energy on the home floor was unmatched. This was the thing fans pointed to as a sign for optimism that the team team was about to turn a corner.
Back in December, the Magic emerged from playing 19 of their first 28 games on the road at 10-18. They were not world beaters by any stretch of the imagination, but they were playing solid basketball and had a good shot at growth and continuing to improve.
The Magic then proceeded to go 1-3 on a four-game homestand and win just three games in a stretch of nine home dates in 11 games — with just that home win over the Celtics. As the Magic traveled back out West, they were now 13-24 and the season seemed completely lost at that point.
“We left some wins at home,” Nikola Vucevic said at the time. “If we want to get to where we ant to be, we have to do that. We have been playing well on the road. For some reason, we have not been able to play in more than spurts at home. Usually it is the other way around. ”
For whatever reason, the Magic have not been able to replicate their home success from last year. This season, they have already matched their home loss total from last season, sitting at 12-22 at home after Friday’s win over Portland.
Friday’s game started a stretch of five consecutive games at home for the Magic. Not an easy one either with three of the five coming against Playoff teams — the Blazers (a surprising win), the Spurs and the East-leading Hawks. It will not be easy.
But much like in December, the Magic want to build some momentum, albeit for an entirely different reason. This is about getting back some momentum for the offseason.
“We want to build momentum throughout the season, but this is a very critical moment for us,” coach James Borrego said. “We’re trying to win games. We’re trying to change the mentality of our group, being a competitive, tough-minded group every time we step on the floor. Whether that’s at home and whether that’s on the road, we’ve got to continue to build that.”
Borrego said the team cannot rely on the crowd and they have to bring the same momentum whether at home or on the road. Consistency is still the goal for the team moving forward.
The reasons for why the Magic are struggling at home in the way that they are is still something of a mystery. Former coach Jacque Vaughn said in December there might be more distractions at home and being on the road allows the team to focus solely on each other and on basektball. Victor Oladipo described it as an “us against the world” mentality. Channing Frye concurred.
That part has been tested of late. The Magic have not won a road game since Jan. 12. A span of 12 road games. This too though shows how the Magic failed to take advantage of a home-heavy schedule. They are still slotted for the fifth best lottery odds.
It got so bad that the Magic were getting booed at home around the time Jacque Vaughn got fired. It was not a good feeling.
“I really feel like on the road we’re forced to get into a rhythm on the road,” Frye said in December. “At home, we’re extremely relaxed and things are a little more comfortable. I think we need to continue to have that us-vs.-the-world attitude, especially here. I think for us, we need to take advantage of these opportunities and win some games.”
With just 10 games remaining this season, and only four road games remaining, the Magic have an opportunity to build momentum for themselves and for the franchise heading toward next season. A season that should see many changes to the Magic.
What is there to accomplish, specifically at home?
“It’s very important,” Elfrid Payton said. “I think we’ve underachieved this year. I think we have enough talent to be in the Playoff race. And we should be. Getting momentum going into next year is big because next year around this time we want to be getting ready for a Playoff spot.”
If offseason momentum is to be believed, the Magic have to avoid efforts like Sunday (make that the last one that occurs the rest of the year) and have more efforts like Friday’s win over the Trail Blazers.