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Orlando Magic on Hiatus: The top 10 games of the 2020 season (so far)

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Markelle Fultz and the Orlando Magic made a strong first impression in their season opener. (Photo by Harry Aaron/Getty Images)
Markelle Fultz and the Orlando Magic made a strong first impression in their season opener. (Photo by Harry Aaron/Getty Images) /
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Nikola Vucevic, Orlando Magic
Nikola Vucevic helped pace the Orlando Magic past the Philadelphia 76ers as he returns to his All-Star form. (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /

10. Magic get their first big win — vs. 76ers (Nov. 13)

Final. 97. 93. 112. 38

Our Coverage: Grades; Orlando Magic’s best players came through when needed

FOX Sports Florida Re-Air: March 21, 8 p.m.

One of the big criticisms of the Orlando Magic throughout the season was their lack of marquee wins. It is something that has dogged the team throughout the whole year and one sign the team has not taken the step forward.

Coach Steve Clifford has criticized the team even after wins saying they cannot expect to be playoff-caliber teams playing the way they were playing. The Magic this year were always chasing a standard as much as a record or a number of wins. They wanted to make progress as much as anything.

Whether they have or not is certainly up for debate. A debate we will surely have as we wait for basketball to return.

And one argument for the Magic’s stagnation or regression is their record against teams with winning records. Orlando is 5-26 in games against teams with records better than .500. Only one team has fewer such wins — the Chicago Bulls with two.

That is a solid statement of how the Magic have taken care of business against sub-.500 teams. And in the Eastern Conference, there are enough of them to make the playoffs just on those alone.

There are still several wins over those great teams that stand out this year — do not worry, we will get to them on this list. But the first one still has its own standout moments.

The Orlando Magic just seem to have the Philadelphia 76ers’ number, winning both games (stay tuned) they have played so far this season. Their first meeting in November was the one that made Magic fans really believe in the team at least for a moment. Even with Joel Embiid out of the lineup.

Orlando used a 32-15 fourth quarter to blow the game open, getting big games from Nikola Vucevic (25 points, 12 rebounds) and Aaron Gordon (18 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists) to pace the team. Terrence Ross and Evan Fournier hit several big 3-pointers down the stretch to put the game away.

The Magic had their big win and at least some proof of concept for their potential early in the season.