Orlando Magic Power Rankings Roundup: Just enough hope

The Orlando Magic picked up a win over the Toronto Raptors and seemed ready to turn a corner. And then they did not. The team reverted to its bad self again

Walking out of the Amway Center on Friday night, there was a whiff of optimism in the air.

The Orlando Magic had just dismantled the Toronto Raptors for a 102-94 victory. The team played one of its better defensive games in a month and a half, holding the Raptors to less than 40 percent shooting. The Magic were the better, more engaged and active team.

It was their game and they dominated it.

It was easy to begin thinking a little bit ahead. If the Magic could play like this again Saturday and build some momentum and put together a win streak then . . .

Oh, those halcyon days. Those days of such unbridled optimism. Of hope and what may happen, but then never will.

Orlando Magic

The Magic had built some intrigue with decent performances and some life on defense in previous games. It felt like Orlando had built some confidence. A win could only confirm it. Right?

Guess not.

The Magic rolled into Atlanta on the back of that win over the Raptors and got beat up against the Atlanta Hawks. A 27-point loss again puts things in perspective. Or at least returns everything to normal.

It is true, a team is never as good as they look on tape and never as bad as they look either. Maybe.

The Magic though have continued to look bad in several moments. They have seen far too many of these 25-point blowouts and lifeless efforts. It was the kind of game that makes any sense of optimism feel silly.

The naivety of hope, though, remains. The Magic still seem to have that one good game in them to pick up a win and make it look like they will turn the corner. They are great at providing just enough hope at just the right moment.

Maybe one day the Magic will turn that corner and take that next step. Until then. . . they are what they are.