CHICAGO -- The Orlando Magic have been a puzzle all season -- a mostly incomplete one.
Every step forward, has been followed it seemed by a step back. It was a problem the team could not solve. And it is why they are sitting in seventh entering the final game -- still close enough to escape the Play-In but also close enough to fall to eighth.
Nothing symbolized how big this was then the struggles the team has had in the third quarter throughout the season -- and especialy during the team's losing streak last month.
Orlando's inconsistency was on display most with how lax the team could come out of the locker rom, giving away leads.
The Orlando Magic were up 11 at the half of Friday's game against the Chicago Bulls. But building that lead was shaky thanks to 30 points in the paint and nine first-quarter turnovers. It still felt the game could go in either direction.
It was on the Magic to slam the door in the second half.
That is the big problem the Magic have solved during a five-game win streak at the end of the season. They solved many of these problems to build as much as a 28-point lead to defeat the Bulls 127-103.
This is a team that is now figuring out its flaws and correcting them far more often. Even against weaker competition, that is a big reason the Magic are coming out on top.
"I think we have figured out a little better rhythm and flow to our offense, especially," Franz Wagner said after Friday's win. "I think that helps our defense in a lot of ways. It gives us a lot more confidence when shots aren't falling, or the other team goes on a run that we know what kind of buttons to push to get back to our game. I think that's been better these last couple of games."
The Magic have shown resolve. They troubleshoot their problems and grow into a game. They answer when pushed.
That is not something we could say much of this season and certainly in the last few weeks.
Thrid quarter pushback
Third quarters this year have been a problem for the Orlando Magic.
Since March 16 (when the six-game losing streak began), Orlando has a -10.6 net rating with a 126.8 defensive rating.
Everyone may recall that at the center of the public disagreement between Jamahl Mosley and Paolo Banchero in March, Banchero claimed the team struggled to make adjustments coming out of the locker room.
That indeed seemed symbolic of the team's bigger issues this season. The team could not get all the pieces together. The puzzle always seemed unsolved or missing a piece.
Fixing something like that happens internally long before it happens externally. The team needed to come together and communicate what it needed to do to get over the hump.
During this five-game win streak, the Magic have a +25.2 net rating in the third quarter. They are dominating the third quarter and catapulting into the lead after getting the chance to discuss and adjust at halftime.
For Orlando, that has often come with a focus on its defense, with a 105.3 defensive rating in the last five games. On Friday, the Magic stopped turning the ball over, committing only seven the rest of the game after nine in the first quarter and just two in the third quarter.
That set the entire team up for success.
"Sometimes you have to get a feel for the game and what's working and what's not working," Franz Wagner said after Friday's win. "Once we got the turnovers down, we were able to get some more stops and make plays on both sides of the ball and make some easy ones as well. The talks have been good at halftime. Every time you have to remind yourself to play one game at a time."
That allowed the Magic to sharpen their defense. They forced five turnovers and held the Bulls to 11-for-26 shooting.
The team played with better pace and energy. They talked about expanding the lead at halftime and then did it, putting the game away with a 23-9 run so that deep-bench players could play in the fourth quarter.
Orlando found a groove and did not let go. It slowly pushed its lead out. It responded to all the struggles it had early in the game.
Dominate the simple
There is not anything complex to what the Orlando Magic are doing to make this change.
The team is playing with more pace and energy. That has helped with half-court execution. They have been more dialed in on defense, the two sides feeding off each other.
It is what coach Jamahl Mosley envisioned when the team came together. The team is winning by doing the simple things really well.
"Their communication to each other. Their understanding of exactly what we need to do," Mosley said after Friday's win. "When you have a team down, keep them down. It's not time to play with the game, but continue to dominate the simple. Whatever is working, stick with that and keep going to it."
The team has gotten back to some of its core defensive principles.
When the Bulls were getting into the paint too much, the Magic went to its switching scheme and started crowding and digging at ball handlers. That led to 13 steals in the game and 21 turnovers for 31 Magic points. Orlando had 20 fast-break points.
The Magic will need to lean on that on-court communication during the playoffs. The Magic will not be able to solve things on its own with the coaches.
It takes trust and confidence. Two things Orlando had plenty of Friday night.
Orlando ultimately feasted on a bad Chicago team. There is no denying that. This is the exact result a Playoff team is supposed to have.
But the team has rebuilt something in the last five games.
"This has been a good run not only to build good flow and chemistry as we get everybody back, but just some feel-good and swag," Jalen Suggs said in the locker room Friday. "It's good to go into the 'Offs hot. We're all present for a series physically and mentally. Everybody is excited to see a Playoff series.
It was the solve the Magic have needed for most of this season. It has come better late than never. Or perhaps just in time to make something happen on the season's final day.