Orlando Magic Daily
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This is not the same Orlando Magic as last year

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Dec 21, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Orlando Magic small forward Tobias Harris (12) reacts after hitting a three point shot against the New York Knicks during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. The Magic defeated the Knicks 107-99. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 21, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Orlando Magic small forward Tobias Harris (12) reacts after hitting a three point shot against the New York Knicks during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. The Magic defeated the Knicks 107-99. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tobias Harris, Nikola Vucevic, Orlando Magic
Dec 1, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) celebrates with forward Tobias Harris (12) after their game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. The Magic won 96-93. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /

The fun is back

This team is fun to watch again. At least when they are playing well.

When the offense is clicking, players move with fluidity and the ball moves to the open man. Shots are easier to make even for a poor shooting team when they are open. The defense swarms drivers and rotates quickly back out with the athleticism and dexterity this young roster always should have conjured.

“Just winning makes everything much more fun,” Nikola Vucevic said. “Just enjoy it more — your time on and off the court, after practice. It’s just more fun because you know you’re winning.

“At the same time, you can’t be over happy about it. You enjoy the moments, but you stay humble. You keep working and keep doing what you do. You keep doing what got you there. You keep growing and doing what got you there. You want to keep growing and keep getting better. I think that’s what’s good about this team. We’re happy with where we are but at the same time we understand we still have a long way to go.”

“You enjoy the moments, but you stay humble. You keep working and keep doing what you do.” — Nikola Vucevic

There is a joy at coming to work, the music blasts after wins and the team seems much more in tune and together on the court. The determination to get more and there is an understanding now of how hard it is to string together wins.

It is amazing what success can bring.

Then again, the Magic have showed potential before in the last three years. They have looked promising and given fans hope that things could come together.

“It shows that we have made a lot of improvements and we are a much better team,” Vucevic said during the Magic’s win streak. “At the same time, we haven’t done anything yet. We obviously are happy with where we are at compared to last year at this time of year. But ther eis a lot of basketball to be played. It’s an important time for us with three or four home games before the end of the year.”

What is different this time? What should make Magic fans believe this team is turning some proverbial corner? Is that corner even the corner Magic fans want to be turning?

Winning changes things. It changes the dynamics on a team. And it builds and builds on itself.

It is a high no one ever wants to give up. And this team got its first taste of that in the first half of the season.

“I think for us as a unit, we’re not content with where we’re at right now,” Tobias Harris said. “Each and every day we can be better. Winning is contagious. Everybody in that locker room has that feeling right now. it’s like an itch we want to keep going for. It feels good coming into practice every day and playing in front of our fans and knowing we should be winning these games also. That’s one of the best feelings.”

Next: Crash to reality