Last year, Magic Gaming controlled their destiny entering the final week. Once again, the team has a chance to make the playoffs in their last games.
Magic Gaming was here before.
Last year, the Magic entered the final week of the season in control of its own destiny but needing virtually two wins to assure themselves a spot in the playoffs. The final week of the season had that playoff pressure.
The team buckled in the first game. They lost to Cavs Legion GC, with the odd choice to bench their top pick Kontrul, and the season was over. Magic Gaming defeated Celtics Crossover Gaming to keep the Celtics out of the playoffs.
When it was all said and done, the Magic indeed finished eighth in the standings. But because Knicks Gaming had won The Ticket, they took the final spot in the playoffs and went on to win the NBA 2K League title in a massive upset.
Returning players UCManny and KingCamRoyalty said coming up short fed them throughout the offseason. Coming up just short and having a year of experience in the fledgling league would help them
The whole Magic Gaming operation seemed to grow too. The organization knew what it was getting into now — just like everyone else in the league’s second year. They hired a new coach in Jonah Edwards.
The final week of the NBA 2K League season is here. The team has gone through its own transformations, making a mid-season trade that boosted the team and producing their own NBA 2K League MVP candidate, but it finds itself in the same spot.
Magic Gaming is tied for the final spot in the playoffs with two games to play in the final week of the season. And the winner of The Ticket, Warriors Gaming Squad, sits outside the playoff picture with their spot already guaranteed.
They are right back where they were last year entering the final week of the season.
Magic Gaming (8-6) will take on Grizz Gaming (8-7) at 6 p.m. on Thursday in essentially an elimination game for the two teams. They will then conclude their regular season against Wizards District Gaming (6-8) at 9 p.m. on Thursday.
They will have their eyes on Pacers Gaming (8-6), who will play their final two games Thursday at 7 p.m. and Friday at 6 p.m.
Magic Gaming may not know their playoff fate until Friday. But the bottom line is they have to win to avoid the same fate they suffered last year. Unlike last year, they will need at least one Pacers loss to secure their spot in the playoffs.
This team has come together well over the course of the season.
They started off strong and found some struggles midway through. But the midseason acquisition of ToXsiK helped spark the team again. The team went on a bit of a tear culminating in a semifinal appearance at The Ticket, an event hosted at Full Sail University’s e-gaming arena.
They have struggled some since that event, treading water to put their playoff berth in some jeopardy. But they still control much of their own destiny to make the playoffs.
Winning twice this week gives them some leg up on the competition. But it will take 10 wins to make the playoffs. The other teams — except the Celtics — with 10 wins have already clinched their playoff spot.
Magic Gaming does have one of the best young players in the league.
Rookie Reizey has taken the league by storm averaging 17.7 points and 10.1 assists per game. He is one of the finalists for the league’s MVP award. And there have been games where Reizey has taken over the scoring and pushed the team to a victory.
Magic Gaming will need all that plus the solid play from KingCamRoyalty and ToXsiK on the inside to get themselves into the playoffs.
It is rare to get a second chance to repeat history and make good on a setback. Magic Gaming gets that chance Thursday night in New York.