The Orlando Magic showed up for their home finale to a fan base appreciative of them and hungry to push them to the playoffs. Now the Magic have to get in.
There was a buzz around the Amway Center from an early stage.
Even in shootaround and in the leadup to the 7 p.m. tip-off, there was the nervous energy of a big game. This last home game against the Atlanta Hawks had all the stakes it could want. This was another test for the Orlando Magic to rise to the moment and take care of their business.
The season was drawing to a close. Orlando had control of its own destiny and the season’s ultimate goal seemed as close as it had ever been.
The fact the Magic would have to close the season on the road only made the anticipation for this game even greater. The final home game of the regular season was their last chance to give the team the boost of the home court.
It might be their last chance.
Would the team be ready? Would the crowd be ready?
In the course of 48 minutes, the Magic did not prove they will make noise in the playoffs. Far from it. They all rose to the occasion.
Orlando put on an offensive clinic. The Magic had 42 points after one quarter. They had a franchise-record 81 at halftime. By the end of it, the fans at the Amway Center celebrated a 149-113 victory over the Hawks. A game that was hardly a challenge.
Yet, it had all the feel of a playoff game.
The crowd was intense and loud from the start. They were looking for something to cheer for throughout the day it seemed. The buzz around the building was very real. And when Jonathan Isaac hit his first 3-pointer, the roof was ready to come off.
As the Magic built each play in that first quarter run — the alley-oop from D.J. Augustin to Jonathan Isaac or Aaron Gordon dropping the ball between his legs to Nikola Vucevic for a three or D.J. Augustin faking Trae Young out of his shoes — the energy only grew.
The building grew louder. The Magic’s bench reacted to each of those plays with wild celebrations. The Magic’s final regular season home game turned into a party. A celebration of a team that has reached unexpected heights.
The Magic fed off the energy in the building. The noise grew louder and the team kept on making play after play to the point that the game was out of reach.
Coach Steve Clifford was not happy with the team’s turnovers or fouling, but that was not the story of the game. He said those are things the team can fix. This was not a game to complain about the little things when the big thing was the 36-point lead.
The game itself had that celebratory feel to it. Once the pressure of the game dissipated.
In the midst of a playoff push, there is always this threat of finality. Unlike the last six years, the season’s finish is not certain. The team is fighting for its survival with every game and every moment. That is pressure and that is good pressure for a playoff race.
Undoubtedly, the Magic needed this one. It was the team’s last game against an opponent not in playoff contention. And with two potentially tough road games to close the season, Orlando not only needed a win to keep pace in the crowded Eastern Conference but to give itself a boost of confidence and cushion.
The game proved to be a big one for that reason exactly. Along with losses by the Miami Heat and the Detroit Pistons, the Orlando Magic climbed into sixth place. They are 1.5 games clear of being out of the playoffs. The Orlando Magic are one win or one Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets loss from clinching a playoff spot. They can secure that spot Sunday either with a win themselves or with help from others.
The team literally has one foot inside the playoffs.
That nervous tension filled the Amway Center in a good way. Fans knew there could be some finality to this game. If they did not bring the energy themselves, then the playoff dreams could just as quickly collapse.
Orlando Magic
There have been only a few times when the building has swelled with this kind of noise and energy. When the Orlando Magic made their 17-point comeback in the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies, Clifford said it was the first time the team could really feel the boost the crowd could give them.
From the start of this game, the crowd brought a playoff intensity. They surrounded the FOX Sports Florida broadcast booth for the pre- and postgame shows, filling the game with the feel of a playoff atmosphere. The building was loud and intense throughout the game.
The Orlando Magic sold out their last two games against the lowly New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks.
The crowd proved they were ready for the playoffs. Fans felt the gravity of this game and showed up and were loud from the start. They brought energy.
The Magic matched it. They understood the gravity of this game too. The pomp and circumstance in the game — including Nikola Vucevic’s thank you fans statement before tip-off that ended with “We hope to see you in the playoffs” — did not get to them.
They were sloppy to start the game with two turnovers on the opening two possessions. But they locked in quickly. They rose to that pressure once again and buried the Hawks before they could get off the mat.
Orlando still has a lot to do to be ready for the playoffs — most of all, getting one more win to guarantee a .500 record and a spot in the field. They will have to clean up their turnovers and fouling too. The Magic are playing well, but not their best.
But the team is finding a way to win by any means they have to right now. The Magic are one of the hottest teams in the league.
As the team hits the road they have the energy boost the Amway Center crowd gave them. The Magic fan base showed it is ready for the playoffs.
Now the team has to get that last step in and deliver them a Game Three and Four in their building.