Orlando Magic know how important this homestand is for Playoff push

The Orlando Magic know their time is running out to get back into the Playoff picture. A five-game homestand looms very big as the Magic control their fate.

Last week before the Orlando Magic embarked on their short two-game road trip, Steve Clifford took a reporter to task on the team’s seemingly light schedule.

Yes, the opponents the Magic are playing are all below .500. That would seem to mean the team has the opportunity for wins. But counting those victories as automatic is a fool’s errand. The team still had to earn its wins.

Coaches do not think like that when it comes to stretches in the schedule. They view each team as its own individual challenge. And as the Magic have learned there are no guarantees in this league.

It is not like, as several Magic players have said, the team is well above .500 and coasting to a Playoff spot.

Clifford’s response to the notion of an “easy” schedule was that it is something fans and media think about more than the team.

But the schedule is on everyone’s mind nonetheless. Not for the teams the Magic are playing, but for where the team is playing for the next week.

The Orlando Magic began a five-game homestand with Thursday’s 120-91 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The team will get days to practice in between games, not playing a back-to-back until the very last game of the homestand against the Philadelphia 76ers a week from Tuesday. The Magic then begin a four-game road trip against Playoff-caliber teams starting with a big date against the Miami Heat.

That is still far into the future. And the Magic know they need to take care of business at home first. With games against the Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies and Philadelphia 76ers remaining, there is opportunity but also plenty of challenge. The Magic will earn everything they get.

"“You don’t need someone to tell you that tonight,” Evan Fournier said. “We are well aware of the situation. We know our schedule and we know we have to take advantage of that stretch.”"

The stakes could not be higher for this team right now. The Magic losing four of five games entering the homestand dropped the team two games out of the final Playoff spot.

Clifford said before Thursday’s game it was clear to him the Heat would make a surge after the All-Star Break. That is a team, in his estimation, that gets better as the season goes on. The Magic have hit a hiccup and a rough spot. The team can still recover but it had to start Thursday night.

It certainly did as the Magic dominated the Cavaliers from start to finish in the 120-91 win. The team did everything right in that one give themselves a chance to win, committing on defense and moving the ball inside out. Even when the offense went through its inevitable downturn, the Magic kept up their defensive intensity and found a way out.

"“We have five in a row here and then we go on the road for four,” Clifford said. “This is an important stretch. The back to back thing and getting home as late as we did, it’s hard for any team. i just liked the way we approached the whole thing. That is one of the better games we have played. Since the All-Star Break we have had three or four good ones, none any better than that.”"

It was an impressive performance. But the trick for the Magic has been to play like this every night. Orlando has struggled on that front.

Dominating like that might be easier to do against the 14th team in the Eastern Conference as opposed to some of the elite teams the Magic will have to beat. Then again, Cleveland picked off Orlando two weeks ago. And Sunday’s opponent — the Hawks — are playing much better too. There are no easy victories.

But the Magic have to scratch out victories now.

Following Wednesday’s loss to the Washington Wizards, Clifford seemed to impress on his team their moment had to be now. The Magic had to start playing better and picking up wins during this stretch.

Several players used the term “make or break” to describe this upcoming stretch. The Magic have to make their move now. They are aware of everything at stake.

"“He knew, us players knew as well,” Nikola Vucevic said. “It’s nothing to run from. It’s the reality of things. It was on us to respond. It’s the way it is. Every game going forward for us, the margin of error is getting slimmer and slimmer to none. If we want to catch [Miami], we will have to play even better. That’s the reality of things and we just have to accept it and play that way.”"

It will take more than that urgency to win. The Magic have to be better under pressure late in games. They were able to blow out the Cavaliers on Thursday, but there will surely be tight games in the future. The Magic still lead the league in games within five points in the final five minutes.

Clifford said the team simply has to play better and face up to that pressure. Late game situations are more about the execution of fundamental principles — getting to spots earlier and fighting through ball pressure — to find success. He said previously he has been happy with the team’s late-game execution, the results are just not falling their way.

The good news for the Magic is they are a robust 19-16 record at home. The Magic certainly could be better inside the Amway Center. But this also represents the best home record for the team since the rebuild began.

This is a big opportunity for the Magic. The Heat’s schedule is about to toughen up. The Brooklyn Nets are set to embark on their West Coast road trip and their schedule looks especially tough.

What other teams do is not as important as whether the Magic take care of their business first. Orlando can only control what it does every night. that has been the most difficult thing for the team since the All-Star Break.

For the next four games now — heading into that difficult road trip — the Magic know they must take care of their home court and build momentum for the season’s final push.