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Explaining how group play should work and benefit Orlando Magic, NBA

By Philip Rossman-Reich

No matter the return format, the Orlando Magic are likely staring down a playoff matchup with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
No matter the return format, the Orlando Magic are likely staring down a playoff matchup with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /
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Steve Clifford, Orlando Magic, Khem Birch, Markelle Fultz
Steve Clifford has hung his hat on being a strong communicator as he builds the Orlando Magic’s foundation. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

How it benefits the Magic

There is really going to be no way the league resumes its season that does not hurt the Orlando Magic in some way.

Run a play-in tournament and the Magic risk the chance of losing their playoff spot because of a bad game or some other advantage. The reality is the Washington Wizards had very little chance of making up the 5.5 games that separate them from eighth in the final 17 games. The Wizards had one of the toughest remaining schedules while the Magic had one of the easiest.

A play-in tournament that gives the Orlando Magic no time to catch the Brooklyn Nets also hurts. It seemed just as likely the Magic would have caught the Nets for seventh, making a lot of his hand-wringing somewhat moot.

The imbalance of the conference’s playoff chases also does not make matters easy for the NBA. It would be hard to justify conducting a play-in tournament in one conference and not in the other. Especially for closing the season purposes.

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    • The Magic probably gain very little from going straight too the playoffs. Or even just competing for the 7-seed, although it accomplishes some of these goals.

    I believe the Magic should want their team to be put in a position where it has to play its way into the Playoffs. Orlando will get more for its young players from putting them in pressure situations and experiencing success in those situations.

    Orlando’s win at Boston in the penultimate game last year was the ultimate gut check for the team. A loss would have turned the season finale into a play-in game. They showed tremendous poise and guts in winning that game on the road coming from behind. That win was as significant as any other.

    The Magic certainly want to recreate that scenario. A game they have to win to avoid a play-in game, but still having the cushion they earned from the regular season.

    The league as a whole wants a system that will give everyone something to play for while protecting the teams that have the best chance to win the Finals and get them into the Playoff field.

    On top of everything else, the league wants to get back to normal as much as it can so all this talk of gimmicks and experimenting can end. they want to get back to business and give fans and players the Playoffs they deserve.

    These are undoubtedly unprecedented times and some creativity is needed to make the most of the situation.

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    Group play does that. It gives everyone the incentive to play and the reward for doing so while also giving teams the ability to warm up and prepare for the Playoffs. It gives everyone what they want at the end of the day.