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Orlando Magic Daily Roundtable: The final countdown

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Mar 11, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) and Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith (5) position for the rebound during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) and Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith (5) position for the rebound during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nikola Vucevic, Orlando magic, Cleveland Cavaliers
Mar 11, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) and Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith (5) position for the rebound during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

The Orlando Magic have entered the stretch run of their season with just 15 games to go. As the final quarter plays out the OMD staff looks ahead.

The Orlando Magic are out West for their final long road trip — and it is just three games — of the season. The team will take one more road trip at the end of March while the WWE invades the Amway Center for the weekend. The team has just 15 games left — seven at home and eight on the road. And it will go by fast.

The team has just 15 games left — seven at home and eight on the road. And it will go by fast.

Many Magic fans are probably thankful that it will. It has been a disappointing and frustrating season for the team. Everyone is a bit apprehensive about the team’s future.

But the games will continue. The team will try to make the most of what it has left this season. They have said as much.

Orlando has said it wants to lay the seeds for a winning culture and begin turning things around for the 2018 season. The Magic are not going to hide from their goals. They still want to make the Playoffs sooner rather than later.

Obviously, the Magic will need to do some work to get there. The team cannot completely rely on internal development. But the final quarter of the season with this new group was going to be a proving ground. The Magic have a reason they want to build momentum with this group. More than anything, it is just to see what they have.

Certainly, there is a competing force at play for the Magic too. Yes, the Magic would benefit from losing games and securing more ping pong balls. The Magic need a talent upgrade and the draft is still the best way to do it. Orlando’s priorities still appear elsewhere.

Orlando’s priorities still appear elsewhere. No coach is going to admit to trying to lose games. They are hardwired to try to win games. As are players — you hope.

That will make the final batch of 15 games all the more intriguing. The Magic still have some big questions to answer and things to figure out as they plan their offseason.

With the Magic on the West Coast, we gathered the Orlando Magic Daily staff together to try to answer some of these key questions as the season winds to a close.