Philip Rossman-Reich here, the host of the daily Locked On Magic podcast, with your daily Locked On Magic newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Magic and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Eastern Conference is giving Orlando Magic grace
Nov 4, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4) and forward Franz Wagner (22) listen to head coach Jamahl Mosley during a time out against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images|Alonzo Adams/Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
The Orlando Magic are down bad right now. A four-game losing streak and three dispiriting losses since Paolo Banchero’s injury have everyone questioning the direction the team is going.
The Magic have the two lowest scoring games of the NBA season in their last two outings. They made only 5 of 34 3-pointers in their last game against the Oklahoma City Thunder and have shot worse than 20 percent from three in each of the last two games.
Orlando is 29th in the league in offensive rating for the season thanks to these poor offensive performances in the last week.
It is easy to begin thinking the worst after this performance. But Goga Bitadze spoke calmly after Monday’s game and asked everyone not to worry. It is a long season. The team will be fine. They are still a playoff team.
There are major issues to resolve – and major issues to resolve beyond Paolo Banchero’s injury – but the season is still unbelievably young. And the Eastern Conference is obliging the team. The East race has not settled how anyone expected in the early part of the season.
That is a reason to relax. The Magic are falling in the standings, but they are not losing ground. The best teams are not asserting themselves yet and there are plenty of things in the standings today that are not likely to last.
Besides the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics, no team in the East is currently above .500. But surprisingly in the early standings, the Brooklyn Nets are 4-4, the Chicago Bulls are 3-4 and even the Detroit Pistons are 3-5, the same as the Orlando Magic. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers are sitting at 1-6 and 1-5.
Nobody is expecting these teams to last. Many teams are still figuring themselves out and schedule variance – like the Magic’s five road games against just two home games – still stand out.
The point is that nobody expects the standings to look like they do today by the end of the season. But this is still a point in the race where teams can create a margin for error. The team that goes on a winning streak will be the team that gets in the driver’s seat for homecourt advantage in the Eastern Conference.
It is still far too early to look at the standings. But the Magic are on a four-game losing streak to get to 3-5 and sit in eighth place but a game back of the 3-3 Miami Heat for third in the East.
The point is, that this is the time of the year when teams can make mistakes. There is a softer cushion.
But the fact the Eastern Conference has not settled itself yet. The Magic are among those teams expected to be in the Playoffs who are falling short in the early part of the season.
There is still a lot of time to make up ground. And the fact nobody is running away from the Magic is giving them some grace to make these mistakes and find themselves without Paolo Banchero.
That will surely change. The early part of the season is always a bit chaotic. Eventually, teams will settle into who they will be. Perhaps Orlando is closer to the version it has been in the last three games without Banchero than what we expected throughout the season.
But the East is being the East. It is not running away from the Magic in these hard times.
Sports fandom has long been a vehicle of escape, basketball fandom perhaps even more so. If you’re someone who toggles between NBA and WNBA, then you’ll never have a break in games you can escape into. If you’re purely an NBA watcher, then the league has done its willful best to make its product one that runs all year round, even if the games themselves take a break. If you’re even a little online then you can find something NBA-related to get excited/upset/anxious/overworked about any day the year, even in the deepest dregs of August.
Escapism is fine as a temporary measure. There’s no person alive that doesn’t seek it out in some shape or form, sometime. In basketball fandom the dangers of treating the game, and the people who play it, as a pure means of escape run fairly parallel to the dangers of this political moment.
To lose sight of the humanity of athletes, to range on the spectrum of othering to nullification of their personhood; to assume a franchise has only your interests as its sole, driving concern. To put so much stake into the outcome of a game, a season, that anything outside of pure dominance and control is considered failure. To take on defeat as a personality trait and grow miserable, hostile, blame serving both as vitriolic release and an easy balm.
This is perhaps a clumsy attempt to address the U.S. election results last night in a newsletter about NBA basketball, but it seemed a perfect encapsulation of my point of blind escapism to write about OKC’s pestering defence, or Joel Embiid’s three game suspension after shoving a reporter, and make no mention of Donald Trump’s second ascension.
Basketball isn’t apolitical. No sport is, but the NBA hasn’t been for a long time. Shut up and dribble, stop-work protests in the Orlando Bubble led by athletes personally the target of police brutality, taking a knee. Even when it isn’t trying to be, it is, because it’s a game played by people and beyond that, predominantly Black men. In October 1979, when the Knicks paired their roster from 13 players down to 11 — a move required by league regulation — media and fans jumped on the move because the remaining team became the first all Black roster in the league. “White people have to have white heroes,” Cavs owner, Ted Stepien said at the time, “I myself can’t equate to Black heroes, I’ll be truthful. I respect them, but I need white people.”
Being the target of someone’s desire for escapism can be enough to turn something from the political to the personal, and vice versa. We’re seeing a new iteration of it now with the rise of sports betting and the blurring of boundaries between athletes and fans, but Kareem Abdul-Jabbar saw and put it succinctly in the early 1970s. “Out there, you’re a vector for all the hostility in the stands,” he said.
As a conduit for escape, there are no political prerequisites. Fandom isn’t barred from you based on your voting patterns. There may be an urge now, regardless of how you hoped (even as an observer, as I am) this election ended up, to burrow into basketball as escape, almost as a reflexive action. The distinct humanitarian fracturing at play not only in this election but on a global scale, this onus of “us vs.them”, or blame over solution (blame as solution), the narrowing of scope to only have your own interests at heart, is all a symptom of escapism. Just as it’s crucial as an engaged fan to not lose sight of an athlete’s personhood, the same goes, albeit on a decidedly more critical scale, in the wider world.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Must Read Over the years, the NBA has learned to embrace activism and social justice. Read more. (TIME)
Legacy Reflecting on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s impact — here’s how he changed the rules for Black athletes. (National Endowment for the Humanities)
Analysis How did Sterling Brown get the NBA to listen to its players? (The Daily Beast)
Injury Wendell Carter Jr. is sidelined after a hand injury, impacting their depth and defensive capabilities. Read more here.(Sports Illustrated)
Fans Orlando’s passionate fanbase remains hopeful as the team seeks to break their losing streak against Indiana. See the fan reactions.(Sports Illustrated)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Basketball Replacements For Jeremy Sochan & Aaron Gordon
Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson (8) reacts after a play in the fourth quarter against the Toronto Raptors at Ball Arena.|Photo by Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
As we gear up for another action-packed Wednesday with 12 NBA games, it’s crucial to stay updated on player statuses and potential fantasy basketball moves. Injuries are shaking up lineups, and knowing who to add or drop can make all the difference in your fantasy league.
Key Injuries and Player Additions
Aaron Gordon’s calf strain is a significant blow, sidelining him for an estimated four weeks. This opens up opportunities for Peyton Watson, who is expected to see increased minutes, making him a valuable addition to your roster. Julian Strawther might also benefit, but Watson is the priority pick.
Jeremy Sochan’s thumb fracture is another long-term injury, likely keeping him out for six to eight weeks. In his absence, Julian Champagnie emerges as a strong candidate for increased playing time. While Keldon Johnson might be a points league preference, Champagnie is a solid choice across formats.
Nick Richards is dealing with fractured rib cartilage, sidelining him for at least two weeks. With Mark Williams also out, the Hornets will likely start Taj Gibson, but he’s not a recommended fantasy add. Instead, keep an eye on Grant Williams, who could be a viable option in deeper leagues.
Game Previews and Strategic Considerations
The Detroit Pistons face the Charlotte Hornets, with the Hornets slightly favoured. Jalen Duren’s recent performances have been promising, but his minutes might be capped, allowing Isaiah Stewart to continue his role as a backup centre. Stewart’s current role suits him well, and he’s performing admirably in it.
For the Charlotte Hornets, LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller’s dynamics are worth monitoring. Ball’s interactions with Charles Lee and Miller’s reduced minutes and shooting are areas of concern. Miles Bridges’ performance has been underwhelming, but improvement is expected.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Magic podcasts.
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