Orlando Magic Daily
Fansided

5 stretches that will define the Orlando Magic’s season

By Philip Rossman-Reich

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 10: Khem Birch #24 and Wesley Iwundu #25 of the Orlando Magic box out Boban Marjanovic #51 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half of the NBA game between the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on March 10, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 10: Khem Birch #24 and Wesley Iwundu #25 of the Orlando Magic box out Boban Marjanovic #51 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half of the NBA game between the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on March 10, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 6
Next
Jonathan Isaac, Orlando Magic, Willie Cauley-Stein, Sacramento Kings
Jonathan Isaac, Orlando Magic, Willie Cauley-Stein, Sacramento Kings /

The Next Big Road Trip

The good news? The Orlando Magic are done with their major West Coast road trips by Jan. 9.

The bad news? It feels like the Magic go from big West Coast road trip to Mexico City trip to Holiday Homestand to the next big road trip.

Orlando will have its work cut out for it to be in a good spot by the middle of January. If the team can do that, it should be smoother sailing to the end of the season. The Magic should have some idea of their fate by the time this trip ends. If they did not have it sooner.

But this final West Coast road trip will prove to be a difficult one. Even from a geography standpoint.

It starts Dec. 31 against the Charlotte Hornets before heading to Chicago to take on the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 2. Then the Orlando Magic head out West to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves (Jan. 4), LA Clippers (Jan. 6), Sacramento Kings (Jan. 7) and Utah Jazz (Jan. 9).

The teams the Magic face on this leg of the West Coast swing do not feel as daunting as the December trip. But it is still a difficult trip starting in Charlotte and then working out West. And really no team is easy (aside from the Kings who still project as one of the worst teams in the league despite adding Marvin Bagley).

Home does not even provide a respite. When the Orlando Magic return home, they face the Boston Celtics (Jan. 12) and Houston Rockets (Jan. 13) on back-to-back nights.

The schedule seems to level off from there some and Orlando is done heading out West. But this is perhaps the most physically challenging stretch on the entire schedule. Just from the miles the team has to log.

If Orlando gets out of this in good shape, the team could be in line to make a push.