The cliche is that the preseason games are an extension of training camp.
Every coach has likely used that line to try to downplay the importance of the preseason games in the grand path toward the regular season. Fans -- and media -- can put an overemphasis on the preseason and its games because that is all the public gets to see of the team.
The games matter. But they are just another day of building and growing.
With eyes now on next Wednesday's season opener, each day should be geting more urgency as the Orlando Magic try to build their foundation with a new coach. Every day is important.
Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers is just another day of work, even if games feel more important.
"We value them the same way you value every day," Desmond Bane said at shootaround Tuesday. "This is an every day thing. You don't just turn it on when the lights come on. When we're in here practicing, when we're in here on our individual days, they add up, and they matter to what we're trying to do."
Maybe that is simplistic.
Games are a chance to simulate what the actual games will be like. That is what will matter after all.
Players can problem-solve in real time without the coach stepping in to stop and correct. Then again, maybe players at this stage still need that correction.
The preseason games play an important role. But they are still just a step in the process. And even with these games holding a lot of space in fans' minds, they are just another day in preparation for the regular season.
The ultimate goal for the Magic is to be ready for next Wednesday's opener.
All about the foundation
The preseason and its games are a strange thing. This is the time when players expect to make mistakes and learn and grow from them as the season begins.
In a lot of respects, the practices that happened behind closed doors are far more important. That especially goes double for an Orlando Magic team learning a new system with a new coach.
The Magic are likely focused on certain things in each preseason game. And that is not necessarily aligned with how the team will play in the regular season.
The key word when everyone has been asked about what is important in these games is that it is about continuing to build on the team's foundation.
"Just keep building on what we've been doing," Desmond Bane said after shootaround Tuesday. "We're really hammering in our identity. We have seen it for spurts and stretches. Every team is working to be as consistent as possible with what they are doing. Just take a step toward that."
Players are not playing their full minutes in the preseason games -- Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner have not touched the second half yet. Bane got the night off Sunday as the veteran on the team.
And so it is hard to get a full read on how this thing will actually work.
And so each game is truly just the item on that day for this team as they prepare for the regular season. It is another opportunity to get better and improve.
The Magic have put a lot of emphasis on spacing and getting a feel for the physicality and their defensive principles. The team has spoken about how it wants to get the foundations of its identity down.
That is all the Magic want to see from each preseason game and each subsequent day of practice.
"I think for us we're trying to build each and every day and continue to improve," coach Sean Sweeney said after shootaround Tuesday. "When it comes to the preseason games or this game night in particular, it's what did we do well, what do we want to see more of, and how do we keep doubling down on if we made a mistake not making it twice and if we got it right once, getting it right twice."
The goal is simply to keep improving.
What to work on next
The goal for Tuesday's rematch with the Cleveland Cavaliers then is a simple one: To keep improving.
The Orlando Magic saw some good things come out of the game Sunday -- the team's offensive rebounding, the ability to force turnovers and Noah Penda's return to the court -- but there was a lot to clean up.
The Magic are trying to grow. And so the first thing the team needs to do is correct these mistakes. It will be a good test to do so against the same opponent. For now, the Cavs are expected to play their full complement of players -- perhaps even longer than they did in Sunday's game.
There was a lot to clean up from Sunday's loss. And a lot to improve upon.
"We were loose with some of the things we practiced," Desmond Bane said after shootaround on Tuesday. "Our spacing wasn't great, driving a little too deep into crowds and just being on the same page. Some of that is to be expected. We are in the preseason for a reason. We are implementing a new system. It's not going to be perfect right away. That's why we've got another opportunity tonight to clean it up."
That is what the preseason is for: To learn and clean up these mistakes. Certainly the Magic do not want to see a repeat performance of Sunday's struggles. They want to start to see things come together.
The hope is that they will get Jalen Suggs and Anthony Black back soon.
Sean Sweeney said Jalen Suggs is feeling better from his illness and was shooting with teammates when the media were let into shootaround. Black was not participating in those shooting drills but was on the floor with teammates.
The pieces are slowly starting to come together for the Magic. Slowly.
The hope is that another preseason game will make the picture look a little clearer.
The games are not the be-all, end-all in the preseason for the team. As much as fans can only glean information about their team from those exhibitions, they are just another step in the process for the team.
Sunday was clearly not what the Magic wanted. They are hoping Tuesday is a better day to keep building toward the regular season.
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