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.
Orlando Magic always have the Playoffs in mind
Dec 1, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze (35) looks to pass the ball as Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams (1) and Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schroder (17) defend during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones/John Jones-Imagn Images
Before the Orlando Magic began their media day back in late September, coach Jamahl Mosley addressed his team about their expectations. Nobody was hiding that day from what the team wanted to accomplish or what it would take to get there.
They openly said they wanted to earn homecourt advantage in the Playoffs after they went through a seven-game series where the home team won every game. By necessity that means the team expected to make the Playoffs. They were unafraid to speak about their Playoff ambitions.
Mosley said he would split the season into seven-game series. The goal would be to win as many seven-game series as possible. That does not make a playoff series in the regular season, but those bite-sized segments of an 82-game season would be a good way to check on the team’s progress and see where they needed to improve.
Those Playoffs seem like a long way away. But Mosley knew even at media day that they always need to be front of mind. His team needed to start preparing for the postseason and always have that goal in mind. The team needed that purpose.
The Playoffs are always on everyone’s minds.
They were on their mind this weekend as the Magic took on the Brooklyn Nets in a pair of games at the Barclays Center. All before the team prepares for a massive battle in their NBA Cup group play finale against the New York Knicks with the winner winning Group A – the Magic would advance as the wild card with a loss of 30 points or less.
The Magic are getting a small taste of what they will need for the Playoffs. It will take a lot of poise and versatility to play any way the game calls for.
Just take the weekend series with the Nets.
On Friday, the Magic forced turnovers and made 18 of 37 threes to blitz them 123-100. A late 3-point flurry in the second quarter gave them a lead they would not relinquish.
Sunday’s 100-92 win was the opposite. Orlando was caught making tons of mistakes and turnovers. The shots were not going in. And the Nets made the game an ugly, physical mess as their adjustment to the Magic’s free-wheeling offense.
That the Magic won their games against the Nets both ways speaks to the team’s poise through frustration and their ability to win games in different ways. Orlando’s defense was the one constant – it has been the one constant throughout the season – but the Magic adjusted to what the game called for.
That is something they know will become useful when the Playoffs begin. It is a trait they know they will need when the competition stiffens on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Nobody will confuse the Nets or a game in early December with the Playoffs. There will be a lot of fine-tuning and development to come throughout the season’s final three-quarters. But the Magic need every rep they can get to prepare for the Playoffs. They need to test that they have the poise and composure it will take to win in the postseason.
Orlando still has tougher challenges ahead of course. The team still has a lot to prove.
But the Playoffs are always in the back of their mind. And this weekend was a good example of how they are leaning back on their experience, maturity and poise as they will need to in the postseason.
December 1, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates against the Sacramento Kings during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada/Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
You’d be forgiven if, a quarter of the way through the season (yes), you haven’t given the following teams that much attention. Maybe your main rooting interest has been struggling, and it’s taken all your psychic energy to will them through the slump. Better yet, maybe your team is thriving and you’ve been enjoying the ride. Maybe you’re still looking for a team to get behind, in which case, the following three franchises would make great options.
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks being on this list has not alleviated my general wariness of the Hawks as a whole, but they’ve been playing through some of the things that make me doubt them. First, the Hawks love to play up. That is, they tend to excel against technically better and markedly more skilled teams; teams farther along the competitive timeline that I always get they feeling Atlanta would rather emulate than put the work in to be at the same level with.
This season, the Hawks are still playing up — they’ve beat the best in conference Cavaliers twice — but they’re recognizing what should be easy wins, like against the Charlotte Hornets. With Trae Young injured and in and out of the lineup, Atlanta’s bench has provided some of the most needed and entertaining offensive bursts in the league, with De’Andre Hunter back with a vengeance after being out for 10 games with a knee injury. Hunter’s regularly putting up 20-plus points per night, and hounding the glass.
Atlanta has a string of high-low games this week, facing the Pelicans, Bucks, Lakers and Nuggets, which should be an ample test to whether they can play and stay consistent.
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
Injury Paolo Banchero is back on the court as he begins his return process from a torn right oblique. His recovery progress is promising, and he’s feeling good. Banchero’s return is critical for the Magic. (Sports Illustrated)
Biz The NBA fined Jalen Suggs and Goga Bitadze for flopping. This enforcement aims to maintain the integrity of the game and discourage deceptive tactics. Flopping fines underscore the league’s commitment to fair play. (Sports Illustrated)
Milestone Jimmy Butler misses shot so Bam Adebayo can record a triple-double in Heat win (Bleacher Report)
Tuesday, Dec. 03 | 7:30 PM | Madison Square Garden (New York, NY) | Get Tickets
Magic @ 76ers
Wednesday, Dec. 04 | 7:30 PM | Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia, PA) | Get Tickets
Magic @ 76ers
Friday, Dec. 06 | 7:00 PM | Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia, PA) | Get Tickets
3peat (ICYMI)
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Magic podcasts.
Can the Orlando Magic sustain their 3-point shooting? Process meets results Can the Orlando Magic’s newfound three-point prowess propel them to the top of the NBA? The Magic have found their rhythm from deep in their last three games leading to some stunning results and an offensive surge for a team at the bottom of the NBA in 3-point field goal percentage.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s breakout game boosts Orlando Magic The Orlando Magic signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hoping to gain some much-needed shooting to add onto their already stellar defense. Through nearly a quarter of the season, Caldwell-Pope has helped make the Magic’s defense even better.
What Orlando Magic fans should be thankful for this season It is the night before Thanksgiving and while the Orlando Magic have one more game to go before a holiday off, we are looking back at the first 19 games and taking stock of where this team is out.
