As the Orlando Magic prepared for Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Hawks, Gary Harris was asked what it would mean to be Southeast Division champions for the second straight year.
Division titles have been stripped of their meaning in recent years. It no longer guarantees a playoff spot or much of anything. The only thing it gains a team is the first tiebreaker in a three-way tie—that is how the Magic ended up as the 5-seed last year.
A division title, though, was still meaningful, the veteran guard said. There are not many banners hanging in the AdventHealth Training Center. He quickly counted the banners hanging on the wall and noted only seven banners recognizing division champions.
Winning an eighth and winning consecutive titles would add to the burgeoning legacy of this team. After all, the only Magic teams to win consecutive division titles were Shaquille O'Neal and Anfernee Hardaway's teams in 1995 and 1996 and Dwight Howard's teams from 2008-10.
This division title may still be a pyrrhic victory. This year's title is likely too small to make a dent in Magic history amid a season filled with frustration, injury and missed expectations. The team is not yet guaranteed even to have a winning record. A division title is something to celebrate, but also too small to take notice of. There is still so much more work to do.
But here the Magic are. They took care of an extremely undermanned Boston Celtics team 96-76 to finalize their ticket to the Play-In Tournament. The Magic will indeed raise another banner in their practice facility, clinching the Southeast Division and the 7-seed. Orlando will host the 7/8 Play-In Game next Tuesday at Kia Center.
For as little and small as that is, it is what the Magic had this year. They have accomplished all they can. And in a season full of setbacks, that is something to note. Orlando still stayed together to hit this benchmark.
"I think it speaks to our character and the chemistry of the group," Franz Wagner said after Wednesday's win. "That is one thing we can be proud of that we stuck together through some tough times this year. We worked hard to get to this point. Hopefully we can play a good game here at home."
A routine win
The Orlando Magic made relatively quick work with a Boston Celtics team without many of its best players available to play.
Orlando used a quick run to end the first quarter to get some distance. The Magic maintained that distance throughout the second quarter until giving away a 19-point lead with an 11-0 run to close the quarter.
Then Orlando put the hammer down in the third quarter. The Magic outscored the Celtics 31-20 in the third quarter and led by 19, getting through the fourth quarter with little issue.
Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner played fewer than 30 minutes for the first time since the blowout win over Sacramento. Banchero snapped his streak—and he and Wagner's streak—of 20-point games with only 15 points. Wagner scored 23 points to lead the way.
This game was academic, helping the Magic celebrate their final home game with a win. It continued a run of good play. But this was hardly a game to take note of.
"I think for us, as of recent, [we're] playing some pretty good basketball," Cole Athony said after Wednesday's win. "I think we just have to continue trusting each other, continue making the right play, continuing to just let the basketball a lo tof times determining what the best shot is."
The Magic again found the plays to secure the victory. Orlando is playing its best basketball right now.
Recovering from a rough season
This season has been a rough one.
The Orlando Magic had high hopes after their playoff appearance last year and forcing the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games. They aimed to win home-court advantage and take a step toward contention.
Injuries quickly derailed that. Paolo Banchero tore his oblique five games into the season. Franz Wagner tore his oblique a month later. Moe Wagner tore his ACL in his left knee at the end of December. And Jalen Suggs suffered a back strain in early January and then returned only to suffer a knee injury that required surgery.
The trio of Banchero, Wagner and Suggs played only six games together.
In the interim, the Magic at various times looked able to play above their station, outworking and hustling teams to stay competitive despite all their injuries. Then, there were moments where the team felt overwhelmed. It took Banchero and Wagner longer to rediscover their rhythm after returning from their injuries, the Magic suffered and fell out of contention.
Orlando's goals escaped them. A division title was the only preseason goal left to achieve. But the team still found resolve to finish strong.
"I think it says a lot about this group," coach Jamahl Mosley said after Wednesday's win. "The group of young men on the court as well as the coaches and everybody involved that they stayed the course no matter what was happening. Not getting discouraged, being focused on what we said we were going to accomplish. I think this is one step. You can enjoy this moment and celebrate it, smell the roses for this second, and then we've got to move on for the next game."
The Magic were in a deep hole after a 1-6 homestand. But they have rallied since, going 11-5 since that frustrating homestand.
Orlando has turned things around. After struggling to shoot and score for most of the season -- posting season averages of 108.8 points per 100 possessions and 31.6 percent shooting from three—their offensive rating jumped to 113.5 points per 100 possessions, and they are shooting 35.5 percent from three.
They still dominated defensively with a 107.2 defensive rating.
Through all the frustrations, the Magic still found a way to win this mrker. With the hole they were in and no chance to catch the 6-seed, they maximized what was in front of them. They got the job done with two games remaining too—making Friday's game against the Indiana Pacers and Sunday's game against the Atlanta Hawks inconsequential.
More importantly, the Magic still found a way to achieve something and finish their season on the right note. They stuck together when they could have given up, with their preseason goals beyond their reach.
There was still a (small) reason to celebrate Wednesday night.
"It's been an up-and-down season," Cole Anthony said after Wednesday's win. "We've had guys in, we've had guys out. It hasn't been our greatest season. But I think at the end of the day, we're in the position right now where we have na opportunity to make the playoffs. Anything can happen in the playoffs. We just have to focus on the task at hand."
The division title and the 7-seed is not where Orlando wanted to be this year. This team and group have bigger ambitions for their future just as they had for this season.
But with everything they faced this season, to hit this point and to win something, that speaks to the character of this team.
There is still work to do. The playoffs are not guaranteed with the Play-In Tournament. But the Magic have set themselves up as well as they can.
On a smaller scale, they have another banner to hang in their facility and another trophy to put in the trophy case.