Orlando Magic just need to play well in trip to London

The Orlando Magic are in London and the fun festivities should be nearing an end. Now comes the business — righting the ship and picking up a win.

Time/TV: 3 p.m./NBATV, FSFlorida
Line: Raptors by 4
Tickets: No Tickets Available on Vivid Seats
Season Series: Magic 92, Raptors 87 in Orlando on Nov. 6; Today in London; March 20 in Toronto

The Orlando Magic said before departing to London that this would be a business trip. Many said they would be making their first trip to London and hoped to see some of the sights, but no one would lose their grip on the trip’s purpose.

The Orlando Magic have a game to play. An important one at that against the Toronto Raptors.

All the fun and games of heading to London — including the NBA Jr. camps, promotional events and appearances and everything else — end quietly Wednesday night ahead of the 8 p.m. tip off.

The only thing different about this game is the neutral floor, unfamiliar city and the All-Star Break, bowl-game feel to playing just one game this week. The buildup to the Magic’s London game against the Raptors has that feeling that it should be more meaningful.

But really, the Magic are just a team in the bundled up Eastern Conference trying to scratch out wins as much as they can. And having lost five of their past six games, this is a team desperate to get back on track.

“We’re going to prepare for Toronto like we would prepare for any other team,” Skiles said. “But our focus right now has to be on us and what we’re doing. We were getting to a point where we were stringing some quality games together and we got away from that a little bit.”

There is one turning point that could be pointed to the Magic’s sudden downturn in play. That would be the Dec. 28 sprained ankle Elfrid Payton suffered. He tried to muscle through against the Brooklyn Nets on Dec. 30 but left the game after five minutes. In the seven games since, the Magic have only defeated the Nets.

Despite Victor Oladipo finding good form again and beginning to resemble the player he was last year, Payton’s absence has been noticeable as the offense has taken a nosedive in the last six games.

All indications were that Payton would be ready to play Thursday. However, he only participated in a small bit of practice Monday before traveling to London and only non-contact portions at that.

Skiles said Payton practiced fully Wednesday and, barring any setbacks, should be ready to play against the Raptors. Skiles did not say whether Payton would start or not if he does indeed play.

“I’m just glad he’s back playing man,” Oladipo said. “I know how frustrating it can be and annoying it can be to want to play and not be able to. It’s great to see him back and we need him.”

The news on the injury front is not all good. Aaron Gordon sprained his ankle, Skiles said, at the end of Wednesday’s practice session. Skiles said he did not believe it was too serious but they would monitor him heading into Thursday.

After shootaround Thursday, Scott Skiles told Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel both Payton and Gordon would play.

The Magic though appear to be getting pretty close to the team they have had the majority of the season. That could mean the team starts righting the ship.

This game is different though, there is no denying that. Skiles said he would not fault players for going out to see the sights of London when they have the time to do so. There is an opportunity to get around the city.

Those fun and games though are quickly coming to a close. The focus has to sharpen back on the course of the season and taking care of the business at hand.

The Magic have fallen off a bit. They are now eighth in the Eastern Conference entering Wednesday’s games at 20-18, one game ahead of the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics for that coveted spot and 3.5 games behind Toronto for the second seed in the East.

Scott Skiles said Wednesday there is some definite separation going on in the Eastern Conference as the schedule winds toward its midpoint. The East is jumbled up but teams are starting to fade some and pull away ever so slightly.

There is still a sense the good times for the Magic are not about to last.

The Magic’s February and particularly March schedule is very difficult. Skiles and his staff are already pointing to that difficulty coming up and trying to get their team playing at a high level by then.

First though, the Magic have to get themselves moving in the right direction. And that starts Thursday as this business trip comes to a close.

“It’s a big game because it’s the next one,” Oladipo said. “Yes, it’s in London. Yes, it’s in front of a great crowd. They are a great team. We need this one. It’s a big game for us and we just need to be prepared to play.”

Next: NBA practice interviews ahead of NBA London

James Plowright contributed to this report.