We have reached the quarter pole of the NBA season. The Orlando Magic have experienced a lot of highs and lows. We review what comes next for the Magic.
The Orlando Magic passed the quarter mark of the season a few weeks ago. And it was an up-and-down affair that gave fans — and likely management — no clear picture of what is in store for this season or exactly where to go.
On one hand, the Magic looked like they were about to break through starting the season 8-4. The team moved the ball effectively on offense and played with grit and determination defensively. Everyone sensed the team would fall back to earth eventually, but the team had some elements that at least kept everyone believing.
Then the Magic dropped nine straight games. They reverted back to the same bad habits that crushed last year’s nascent Playoff hopes and relegated the team to the deep lottery once again. Orlando seemed like they were the same team as last year.
Thrown into all that were a series of injuries that seemingly slowed the team.
Elfrid Payton missed eight games with a sore hamstring. D.J. Augustin followed him and missed seven games with his own hamstring issue.
Aaron Gordon missed a pair of games with a sprained ankle. Jonathan Isaac has been out for a month (15 games).
Evan Fournier has missed the last three games with his own sprained ankle. And Terrence Ross has missed the last six games with a MCL sprain and fracture of the tibial plateau.
All these injuries have sapped the Magic of key weapons and knocked them somewhat off rhythm. This is not a team that can survive a lot of these absences. Their margin of error is very small.
That may not be an excuse. The reality might be this team is exactly what everyone thought it was entering the season. And the Magic need to start devising ways to make some changes to the roster and shuffle the decks again.
That will begin with the trade season officially opening fully Friday. For now, the Magic will continue on with their season. They are angling to make the Playoffs still, but they will need to use the second quarter of the season to stay in the race. They could easily fall out and lose their season here.
As the second quarter of the season continues on, the Orlando Magic Daily staff got together to discuss what we learned in the first quarter of the season. And just how the Magic can keep themselves in the race.