Orlando Magic Daily
Fansided

3 thoughts on the Orlando Magic after one-quarter of season

By Luke Duffy

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 28: Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic reacts against the Charlotte Hornets during the fourth quarter at Amway Center on October 28, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 28: Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic reacts against the Charlotte Hornets during the fourth quarter at Amway Center on October 28, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 4
Next

To say it has been a bumpy ride for the Orlando Magic through one-quarter of the season would be an understatement. A campaign that promised so much, quickly revealed itself to be one already defined by injuries. And an inevitable sink to the bottom of the standings.

With Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz yet to make an appearance (Fultz is set to debut Wednesday to open the second quarter of the season), and pretty much every other key player having missed some form of time on the treatment table, it is hard to gauge where this team is truly at.

It has rarely looked seamless, although there are encouraging signs to be taken from the fact that some of the team’s wins have come against better opponents and that Orlando has played 14 “clutch” games this season, the third-most in the NBA (albeit at 3-11).

There is a whole lot to get through here after 21 games played, so let’s take stock of what has happened, and where the Orlando Magic could be headed.

Sunday night’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers represented a new low, with the Magic losing 133-103. In truth, that game was over before halftime, and coach Jamahl Mosley will have been extremely concerned by the lack of effort shown by the players who did manage to suit up.

The Magic lost Terrence Ross to illness and Mo Bamba to injury throughout the game, but that is no excuse. The guys on the court (with the exception of the suddenly important Moe Wagner) played with no urgency, and failed to grasp the opportunity to have a bigger role on this decimated rotation moving forward.

Monday night’s loss to the Brooklyn Nets was better, with Kevin Durant needing to pour in a monstrous 45 points to carve out a 109-102 win for his team. That will be of scant consolation to the Magic though, as they find themselves already with a mountain to climb if they hope to contest for a play-in spot by the time spring rolls around.