There is nothing more fun than a team learning how to win for the first time.
There are no expectations and no pressures. The team can play freely in an act of genuine self-discovery.
Fans are generally on board with it all to enjoy the ride. There are few things to complain about. Flaws can be resolved in the offseason. Everyone is just happy to go into every game expecting to win again.
That was certainly the way everyone—both fans and the team—felt even after losing in Game 7 of the first round against the Cleveland Cavaliers. There was a ton of disappointment in the immediate aftermath of the game. But by the time the team got home, they were happy with what they accomplished this season and eager to build on it next year.
Undoubtedly, though, the pressure is on in the 2025 season. Or the pressure is increased for the Magic to match what they did in 2024. And while improving from 34 wins to 47 wins took the league by surprise, nobody is going to be shocked if the Magic are in the Playoffs again.
This is going to be one of the biggest challenges for this Magic team as coach Jamahl Mosley put it to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype:
"You’re no longer going to sneak up on anyone," Mosley told HoopsHype. "You embrace the expectations of people, knowing you’re going to be better and that you have the experience of not just the regular season but also the playoffs. You embrace the expectations. You embrace what’s coming. But you know you have to tighten up everything a little bit more. You’ve got to be able to dive into the details. You’ve got to focus on the little things in the game, which is what the game of basketball is. You continue to work hard. Continue to focus on the details and push each other."
If there was one criticism skeptical fans had of the Magic it was that they were not taken as seriously in the last two years. Many teams around the league may still have felt like the Magic were a developing team or did not require their full focus.
Players are still human, it is impossible not to think that they do not get up for big games. And with the Magic getitng so few national TV games, they are not one of those teams that get everyone perked up on the schedule.
That is certainly changing now. The Magic won 47 games last year and had the third-best home record in the Eastern Conference, going 29-12 in the Kia Center. Paolo Banchero is an All-Star and had a stellar playoffs.
Nobody is sleeping on the Magic anymore
Everyone is paying attention to the Magic now. That includes the national media who are starting to rumble that the Magic might be the young team ready to make the next step into contender status.
There are still reasons to be skeptical—the biggest addition was Kentavious Caldwell-Pope who should help with the team's lack of perimeter shooting but does not give them the table-setter they seemed to need in their playoff loss.
And to be sure, making the playoffs alone is not going to satisfy everyone. The honeymoon period of the rebuild is over. The Magic have tasted success and that has become the baseline.
Everyone around the league knows this too. And nobody is sleeping on Orlando anymore.
Dealing with that pressure and those expectations will be a new challenge for Mosley. While the team is returning much of the same roster, roles will inevitably change and players will be expected to improve.
Jalen Suggs is climbing into the starting point guard role in all likelihood. Anthony Black will be expected to take on more responsibilities off the bench too. Gary Harris will slot in off the bench for the first time—if he is not beaten out by younger players like Jett Howard or Tristan da Silva.
Every season is different. And while the Magic have built a new reputation and raised expectations, they have to build everything back up from scratch when training camp opens.
And the rest of the league now knows what the Magic are capable of doing now. They are not going to sneak up on anybody. Orlando for the first time in a long time will have a target on its back.
Adjusting to that will be a challenge for Mosley and his team. But it is a challenge they are clearly looking forward to meeting.