5 things that went right (and wrong) for the Orlando Magic in the first quarter of the 2024 season

5 things that have gone right (or wrong) in the first quarter of the Orlando Magic's season

5) Gone Right – Winning

At the end of the day it all comes down to winning and Orlando has done a lot of that in the early part of the season.

Through the first 25 games, Orlando has recorded 16 wins. Through the first 25 games last season, the Magic were 5-20. And the season prior to that? Also 5-20.

The Magic have flipped their recent trend of starting the season cold and have come out scorching hot. That has put the team in a position to make the playoffs and not merely fight for postseason scraps. It has given the team a surge of confidence.

A big reason for the increase in wins is the ability to close out tight games.

The Magic are 5-2 this season in games decided by six points or less (two possession games). Throughout an 82-game NBA season, the difference between making and missing the playoffs for many teams is often heavily correlated to their ability to win close games. Learning “how” to win can be a cliché for young teams in sports.

But it is clear this Magic team has learned from its past losses and finally found a group of guys who can come through in the game's closing moments.

If this team continues to develop and come together at the rate it has been, look for Winning to become a regular thing again in Orlando.