It’s still early, but this looks like the Orlando Magic that most people expected to see this whole season. They lost in the first round last year against the defending champion Boston Celtics in five games. Some might say that it is a disappointing season, but other than one game in the series, they fought extremely hard to keep every game close. To play like that and show that much heart against a team that had just won a championship, for a young team that was huge. They had major expectations for this season, especially after acquiring Desmond Bane.
On paper, this Orlando team looked like a force to be reckoned with, and rightfully so. We can go down their starting lineup, and they match up well with any team in the league. One of the most talented rosters in the entire NBA, and now that they have a taste of playoff basketball, this team is going to be on top of the East, or so everyone thought. Orlando had struggled to stay healthy in the past, and that was the case this season as well. Injuries all down their roster, guys in and out of the lineup, they’ve seen it all this year, but they never wavered.
Even with all of the setbacks that the Magic had throughout the season, they still managed to make the play-in tournament, and sometimes all you need is a chance. Orlando faced the 76ers in the first game of the tournament, the winner becomes the seventh-seed, and plays the Celtics in the first round. Orlando ended up losing this game to Philly. Rumors came out after that they lost on purpose to avoid Boston. We don’t know if these rumors are true, but with how they are currently playing against the Pistons in the first round, maybe they have a point.
Orlando has it rolling right now; they’re playing for one another, playing physical basketball, but more importantly, the team is healthy at the right moment. They enter the playoffs as the eighth-seed, facing the number one seed Detroit Pistons, many might have seen it as a clear advantage for Detroit, but clearly, the Magic don’t. Orlando is up in the series 2-1, a lot more basketball to be played in this tough series with the Pistons. With how they’re playing right now, it just goes to show that there is a huge difference in regular-season basketball and playoff basketball.
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