The Orlando Magic must bank up their wins early

The Orlando Magic will have a lot of work to do to come together quickly. The schedule sets up easier at the start and the Magic must bank their wins then.

The Orlando Magic schedule is out. The path before them is laid out if they are going to make the Playoffs in 2017. Eighty-two games separate them from glory.

The NBA schedule is a peculiar thing. Unlike the NHL or NFL schedules, there is almost perfect balance. Very little favor is given to divisions and inter-conference games are about equal. The differences between team strength of schedule difficulties are very few.

It is too difficult to predict exactly whether any portion of the schedule is more difficult than any other. The Magic might themselves be a surprising team and prove to be above the class or stretch that might seem difficult today.

Undoubtedly though, the Magic will need some time to piece some things together. There is a new coach and several new players. Everyone will be learning and making mistakes in the early part of the season. Buy in to the new philosophy and success to reinforce that buy in will be critical.

The Magic had it last year somewhat as they began taking steps toward that 19-13 start that set expectations high for the rest of the season. It will take another such strong push to begin the season for the Magic to achieve their goals considering the way the schedule is set up.

How Orlando starts the season will give a solid preview of what the team might be for the rest of the year. It will be a big momentum setter and confidence builder.

Through all the parity that comes with the way the league formulates the schedule, the Magic did not come out ahead or behind according to a study from Kevin Pelton of ESPN Insider. He projects the Magic added 0.08 wins with this year’s schedule, making them have the 11th hardest schedule. Pelton essentially says no team has a more “neutral” schedule than the Magic.

That would seemingly mean the Magic are in line to have just about every opportunity to make the Playoffs this year. The schedule will not be a hindrance to them.

A deeper analysis shows Orlando will have to get going early. The schedule at the beginning of the season is much easier than at the end.

The chart from Jared Dubin of Locked On Knicks may be hard to read. The second tweet though should provide some clarity. The Magic start the year with back-to-back months with a combined 2016 record worse than .500.

Before the All-Star Break, the Magic play the 10th easiest schedule in the league. They play the 11th hardest schedule after the All-Star Break.

This is all to say the Magic will have to bank up wins in the season’s first few months — the first two especially. This will be at a point when they are still working to come together as a team and establish an identity.

In fairness, it worked for the Magic last year.

They had their hiccups — a lineup change in November most notably — but they hit a groove and picked apart a weaker run in the schedule in December to improve to 19-13. Orlando will want a similar looking start to accomplish their goals and weather the storm that appears to be coming later in the year.

The first two months especially will be critical for the Magic. Orlando has a three-game road trip following its season opener, but then play consecutive road games just one more time in the month before the East Coast swing to begin December. Orlando has not been a stellar home team the last few years, but that is always a good first place to pick up wins.

The Magic play just seven teams that made the Playoffs last season in October and November. Again, this is an opportunity to come together and pick up wins.

Learning Frank Vogel’s offense and defense and becoming accustomed to new teammates will be a drawn-out process. The Magic should look to improve as the season goes on.

Like last year though, there is no time to wait for that to happen. The Magic last year had a difficult schedule to start the season — a four-game road trip following home games against Washington and Oklahoma City was very daunting. They survived those first five or six games and then began burning off wins.

Confidence breeds confidence and that helped the Magic establish their identity quickly and race out to a fast start.

The same will have to happen this season. The schedule is set up for the Magic to get off to a similar fast start and pick up wins early in the season. There is not going to be any time to wait for things to come together. The time to strike and bank some wins up is early.

It would certainly help the team serve notice throughout the league.

Orlando may not know how good its team is until later in the season when things toughen up. But to put itself in the best position to succeed and achieve those goals, the Magic will have to bank up wins early and gain confidence together.

Next: Despite questions, Orlando Magic did get better

That part will not be easy. The way the schedule plays out, this seems to be the focus for the Magic. Start fast, gain confidence and finish that wave. That might be the path to the Playoffs.