They were quiet at first, but still unmistakable. But at the end of the game, as the Orlando Magic fell further and further behind, making the second half irrelevant in a game with clear playoff stakes, the boos were more noticeable and louder.
As were the chants that began briefly from somewhere in the corner behind the Magic's bench during the fourth quarter.
"Fire Mosley."
The Orlando Magic dropped the ball once again in a critical game, falling to the Atlanta Hawks 130-101. The Magic barely put up a fight, giving up a 16-0 run to fall behind by 18 points in a 47-point second quarter.
A disappointing season is nearing its close. Not even Franz Wagner's return could stem the tide of frustration or change and reshape the Magic.
And the truth is that the criticism and frustration are legitimate. The Magic earned the boos. Not even coach Jamahl Mosley could deny fans their frustration, even if he is the one who will have to fall on his sword to satisfy it.
"We deserve to give these fans a better product on nights like this," coach Jamahl Mosley said after Wednesday's loss. "We deserve to play harder and fight from the beginning of the game, not when we are down 20. You put that jersey on, that's how you need to play from the beginning of the game to the end."
This season has not been anything the Magic imagined.
The Magic are sitting at 40-36 and ninth in the Eastern Conference because the team has never been able to put all the pieces together. It has never been able to live up to its potential.
And that is what has repeatedly led to losses like Wednesday's disappointing defeat to the Hawks, another blowout as the Magic lose contact in their Playoff chase.
And so Mosley is right, the booing is warranted. He may be the one to pay most for it, but the Magic have not earned esteem from a fan base that is hungry for this team to fulfill its potential.
Another collapse
The Orlando Magic got off to the exact start they wanted.
Powered by some energy from Franz Wagner's return, the Magic led by as much as seven and led 10-6 when Wagner checked out roughly four minutes into the game. He was on a minute restriction for his return game, but the Magic again got some proof of concept about their starting group playing well.
But it did not last. And as it did in Sunday's embarrassing defeat, it started when the bench group came in and snowballed from there.
The Atlanta Hawks rallied at the end of the first quarter to cut the deficit to three to end the quarter. It continued into the second with a 16-0 run over nearly four minutes that turned a competitive two-point game into a runaway 18-point game.
Jamahl Mosley called a timeout after just four points were scored. He took out two starters in Jalen Suggs and Wendell Carter for Javon Carter and Goga Bitadze, sticking to his normal rotation, and the Magic could not stop the bleeding.
The restlessness began here as the Magic called another timeout with the run up to 12-0. He returned with his starters after the break, but even that could not stem the tide.
Halftime did not improve things. The Magic gave up the first seven points of the third quarter to fall behind by 24. Whatever levers Mosley is trying to pull, the connection is too frayed for the team to respond.
"There are certain stretches that are inexcusable, honestly, at this level," Wagner said after Wednesday's loss. "It's hard to put a finger on it. It comes in runs, and we do a bad job staying level-headed in those runs. other teams see that and feel that and take advantage."
Frustration on the court was apparent. Wendell Carter technical foul for shoving Dyson Daniels as he grabbed him to prevent a layup and a Flagrant 2 foul and ejection to Goga Bitadze for pulling down Jock Landale as he went up for a dunk.
It is all connected. But the Magic have lost their composure. And it shows up on the court.
Crushed by expectations
Fans who have patiently waited for this team to put itself together are fed up too.
This is not the team that anyone was promised. This is not anywhere near the team that had become so beloved in the last four seasons.
Crushed by the weight of expectations, this team is performing nowhere near its standard or the ambitions it set for itself. Some visible and vocal frustration is certainly warranted.
The Orlando Magic so far have resisted the calls to remove their head coach, despite the vocal online fan reaction and now the reaction in the arena itself. Jeff Weltman backed his coach after the trade deadline.
They hoped health would fix the problems. But health never came.
At this late stage of the season, it is hard to say if a change would actually accomplish anything. With six games remaining, Orlando would need a strong rally just to claim the 7-seed and a home game in the Play-In Tournament.
This is a team lacking confidence and cohesion right now. They quickly abandon what works for them seemingly at the first sign of trouble. They are a team that is easily rattled.
"It takes a level of maturity and understanding of what we do well and what we can hang our hat on," Desmond Bane said in the locker room after Wednesday's game. "When you have something like that you can hang your hat on, regardless of how something might be going, that's your identity and what you fall back on. Sometimes in those rusn, we can get a little chaotic and leads start to just drip."
That is as damning a statement as any about this team and where it is at. It is something worth booing and asking why? Especially considering so much of this team's identity is wrapped up in its effort and defense.
Neither has existed with any consistency for much of this year. Certainly not to the degree that built this team.
This team is a long way from the team it wanted to be.
"Obviously, we feel the frustration from the outside," Franz Wagner said after Wednesday's loss. "Trust me when I say that we are probably more frustrated in the locker room trying to figure this out. But this is the NBA. Judgment and frustration from the fans are all part of it. We get paid way too much money to play this game, so it is on us to figure it out."
Clearly, something is off. Something that will likely necessitate some major changes, most likely starting with the coach.
Meanwhile, a season of frustration is limping to its conclusion. And nobody is happy with where it has ended up.