Orlando Magic 2022 Schedule: 5 key stretches to the season

Orlando Magic’s key stretches to 2022

Second West Road Trip (Feb. 8-14)

Whenever the schedule comes out, examining when the Orlando Magic take their two West Coast road trips is usually one of the first things. Seeing where they come within the context of the season is important — one is always in early December after the team is usually home for Thanksgiving (and then the team is back home for Christmas).

The Magic’s first big West Coast road trip takes place during The Gauntlet. The second one will come right before the All-Star Break.

Orlando takes care of all its California games in the first road trip in December. This one will see the team go from Portland (Feb. 8) to Utah (Feb. 11) to Phoenix (Feb. 12) to Denver (Feb. 14).

That is a murderer’s row of opponents. All four teams were playoff teams last year and are figuring to be playoff teams again. The Utah Jazz had the best record in the league last year and the Phoenix Suns made the NBA Finals.

No trip out West is ever easy. And this one is tough. Plus it finishes with Denver in altitude — just like last year when Orlando ran out of gas late and lost in what turned out to be a blowout after Orlando had the early lead.

Expect that to happen again in this matchup. That is what a schedule loss is and the last game of a road trip is often the most difficult.

But these road trips are where the team gets tested most. This is another common trope I find whenever I am going through the schedule or as the season goes on — find these test points.

The West Coast road trip is always a test point.

That road trip coming in the last few weeks before the All-Star Break, when everyone’s attention can wane, creates the potential for upsets. And part of what the Magic should want to see is the team keep focus to grow at these points of the season and steal wins over quality opponents.

Especially at this point before the team starts eyeing the next season.