PHILADELPHIA -- For nearly the last month, it was clear that the Orlando Magic would not achieve their goal to fight for homecourt advantage. They were doomed to a chase to avoid the Play-In Tournament. And coach Jamahl Mosley has tried to get his team to focus on one thing.
Forget, for a moment, the expectations the team had for the beginning of the season. The hopes and belief that came from the outside and the frustration of another season lost to injury.
As Mosley and his team tried to get a grip on the season the message was simple: One game at a time.
That approach worked to a point. The team had its ups and downs to end the season. A seven-game win streak, followed by a six-game losing streak. A five-game win streak followed by a crushing loss to the Boston Celtics sent them on the road for Wednesday's Play-In Game.
After that 109-97 loss, there is a new reality. The Magic have only one chance to make a stand and save some face this season.
"This is literally it. One game at a time, this is the one game that we got to make sure we go home and take care of it," coach Jamahl Mosley said after Wednesday's loss. "Our fans are going to be there ready to go, supporting us as we make sure we take care of home."
The Magic's season has been a disappointment.
They started the year touting they were ready to contend atop the Eastern Conference. A trip to Las Vegas for the NBA Cup semifinals in December seemed to suggest they could reach those heights.
The team never fell into despair, but they also never stacked enough wins to build a margin for error. They were simply a .500 team -- finishing 13th in defensive rating and 18th in offensive rating.
Meanwhile, the noise surrounding Mosley's future and the franchise's future has only grown louder. The Magic are suddenly a team in some turmoil. Everyone is looking forward to their future.
It will only get louder if they cannot find a way to win on Friday at home. Then again, that may just be delaying the inevitable.
Orlando has one more game then to make a final statement.
A matter of pride?
There is no rescuing this season at this point. If the Orlando Magic have a big decision to make this offseason, they have likely already made it.
There must be a sense among the entire team that this could be the last time they are together. And not merely a shifting of role players on the margins, but starters.
There will always be consequences for that failure. To fall this short of those expectations brings with it dire consequences.
But one game can still be a final statement. A statement most of all about pride. A momentary fulfillment of the team's identity and pride.
"Lay it all on the line," Desmond Bane said after Wednesday's loss. "We've been at this thing since September. We've been grinding away at this. We're going to have one game to make it matter. I'm sure we're going to come out with the proper energy and fight. I'm excited for the challenge."
All that is left for the Magic is the commitment they have to each other.
While there is all this chaos surrounding the franchise and disappointment over the season, Orlando still has a tight knit group. They still have a group that likes each other.
If for nothing else, the Magic need to play for each other. That is something to fight for.
It says a lot though that we are searching for something for this team to fight for heading into ane elimination game. This Magic team says they want to win. But that fight will be proven on the court.
"We've got to come desperate as we've ever been," Anthony Black said in the locker room after Wednesday's game. "We've got one game against one of the hottest teams in the league. We've got to step up. We've got to bring the fight to them first. We've got to be ready to go."
This is a single elimination game. Whether it is for pride or to salvage something this season, the Magic need to show up or they have accepted the end of their season as an inevitability.
Nobody is happy about losing. The question is whether the Magic will do something about it.
"I don't think anybody is in the locker room happy," Jamahl Mosley said after Wednesday's loss. "Could we have gotten this one? Absolutely. But at the end of the day, you have one more opportunity. At the end of the day, that's how you have to look at it. Versus Disappointment? Yes. But at the end of the day, you have another opportunity. The opportunity to go home and make sure we take care of Charlotte."
48 Minutes Left
The opponent is undoubtedly tough.
The Charlotte Hornets have been on fire to climb into this position. They have the best net rating in the league since January 1 at +10.5 points per 100 possessions (120.7 offensive rating/110.2 defensive rating).
The Orlando Magic thought they played well in Wednesday's game and simply missed shots at key times. They could play well and still lose this game. That is what postseason basketball is about. Playing well and hard is not enough to win.
"They've been playing really well," Paolo Banhero said after Wednesday's loss. "They kicked our [butts] this year. We've got to be ready. I've got to be ready. We have to be locked in from the jump. I thought we played hard tonight, but it wasn't enough. It's going to take even more of an effort and me playing better as well for us to get the win."
The realization is that there are no other 48 minutes left for the Magic. This is it.
If this team cares about this season and about each other, they will put everything into this game. If the noise and narrative have overcome them, then this will be a funeral march.
There is only one game left now to show who this team really is. For whatever comes next, the Magic will reveal a lot of their character on Friday night.
"Come hoop. 48 minutes, either you extend your season or pack it up," Jalen Suggs said in the locker room after Wednesday's game. "We come out with the same intention that we did today, that will lead to some good things. We've just got to be crisper, take care of the ball, generate some better looks and get stops."
The Magic will move forward -- whether to the Playoffs or the offseason. There will be major questions to answer this offseason regardless. Everyone can feel it.
How they finish their season will say a lot about how this team can move forward. And whether this group gets another chance together.
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