Orlando Magic Daily
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Orlando Magic’s struggle to hold onto leads holding team back

By Seth Arora

The Orlando Magic have looked better throughout the season, but have also struggled it seems more to close games out and hold onto big leads.(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Orlando Magic have looked better throughout the season, but have also struggled it seems more to close games out and hold onto big leads.(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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D.J. Augustin, Orlando Magic, Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
The Orlando Magic’s biggest collapse this year came in Denver on the back end of a back-to-back. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

How the Magic are faring

Through Sunday’s games, the Orlando Magic have struggled to maintain leads, although they have not had the devastating 20-point blown leads.

Orlando has held leads of 10 or more points at any time in a game 35 times this season (in 42 games). That lead has been cut to within five points 23 times (65.7 percent of the team) In 16 of those occasions, Orlando trailed.

It is the NBA, teams will make runs and come back in these situations. But most troublingly, the Magic have lost nine of those 16 games they have lost a lead of 10 or more points and eventually trailed.

The good news is when the Magic lead by 20 points or more at any time in a game, they hold onto that lead and win.

That has happened four times this season and the Magic have never trailed or lost after taking a 20-point lead. However, the Magic have allowed that lead to cut to five points in two of those four occasions.

It is certainly a bit troubling the Magic have played 43 games and only taken a 20-point lead four times. Orlando has not been able to run away from its opponents this season.

The Magic have held leads of 15-19 points in 14 games this season. Opponents cut that deficit to within five points in eight of those games (57.1 percent), giving up the lead in five of those contests (35.7 percent). The Magic lost two of those games.

That means in roughly one-third of the games where the Magic take a 15-19 point, they eventually trail at some point in the game.

That obviously gets worse when the lead tops off at a lower number.

When the Magic have led by at most 10-14 points at any time in the game, they have allowed a comeback to within five points in 13 of those 17 games (76.5 percent). Orlando would eventually trail in 11 games (64.7 percent). they would lose seven of those games.

It does not look good for the Magic maintaining leads. It remains one of the big disappointments and perhaps an aspect of the team holding them back.