5 things the Orlando Magic still have to play for
The Orlando Magic’s postseason hopes have officially ended.
The Magic were eliminated from the postseason — the last Eastern Conference team to get eliminated! — with Tuesday’s loss. The vision of playing meaningful basketball is at least outwardly over with three games remaining.
The Orlando Magic will play Thursday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers for pride in their finale at the Amway Center. A back-to-back with the Brooklyn Nets on the road awaits Friday. And the last game against the Miami Heat is always spicy regardless of the standings implications involved.
It is easy at this point to think that the best thing the team can do is start to rest players and prepare for the offseason. Perhaps starting Friday, the Magic will do that and scale back players who have been sitting on long-term injuries. That does not seem to be the plan Thursday with only Jonathan Isaac listed on the team’s injury report.
The Lottery race is something real and something that is in play for the Magic for these final games.
The Orlando Magic’s postseason dreams are officially over. But the team still has a few things it can accomplish during the rest of this season.
But there are other goals to achieve in these final three games. And while those goals are still comparatively small and relatively unimportant in the big picture of things, they are still important for a young team gaining confidence and a young franchise trying to establish itself in the league.
There are small markers and accomplishments the team can pursue and play for. There are individual markers to pursue and accomplish too.
That is to say, the NBA season gives each team 82 chances to get better and improve. It is silly for a young team to give up one of those opportunities. Especially when there is at least a small goal to accomplish.
The Magic are going to handle these last three games however they want to handle them. But there are at least a few things the team can accomplish in these final three games.