On Feb. 8, the Orlando Magic were seemingly in at least some amount of peril with regard to the Eastern Conference playoff chase. While much has changed in the world since then, the Magic did end the 2019-20 season on a high note, turning a 22-31 record (after losing 9 of 11 games) into a 30-35 mark when the 2019-20 season was placed on hold.
Unlike Orlando’s central competition at the bottom of the East standings, the Magic aren’t dealing with substantial personnel absences at this point, even while acknowledging uncertainty with Jonathan Isaac and Al-Farouq Aminu. Steve Clifford’s team holds a substantial roster advantage over the Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets, putting the team in an advantageous position for playoff positioning. At the same time, a tough matchup undoubtedly awaits in round one of the playoffs, and that is, at least in some ways, the focus for Orlando.
ROSTER
Markelle Fultz
Evan Fournier
Aaron Gordon
Jonathan Isaac (status unclear)
Nikola Vucevic
Mo Bamba
Terrence Ross
DJ Augustin
James Ennis
Michael Carter-Williams
Al-Farouq Aminu (status unclear)
Wes Iwundu
Khem Birch
Gary Clark
SCHEDULE
Friday, July 31 – 2:30 pm ET – vs. Brooklyn Nets
Sunday, Aug. 2 – 6:00 pm ET – vs. Sacramento Kings
Monday, Aug. 4 – 6:00 pm ET – vs. Indiana Pacers
Wednesday, Aug. 5 – 8:00 pm ET – vs. Toronto Raptors
Friday, Aug. 7 – 6:30 pm ET – vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Sunday, Aug. 9 – 5:00 pm ET – vs. Boston Celtics
Tuesday, Aug. 11 – 1:00 pm ET – vs. Brooklyn Nets
Thursday, Aug. 13 – TBD – vs. New Orleans Pelicans
STANDINGS
1. Milwaukee Bucks: 53-12
2. Toronto Raptors: 46-18 (6.5)
3. Boston Celtics: 43-21 (9.5)
4. Miami Heat: 41-24 (12.0)
5. Indiana Pacers: 39-26 (14.0)
6. Philadelphia 76ers: 39-26 (14.0)
7. Brooklyn Nets: 30-34 (22.5)
8. Orlando Magic: 30-35 (23.0)
9. Washington Wizards: 24-40 (28.5)
WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE?
Because of the roster situation for the Nets and Wizards, Orlando is flat-out expected to make the postseason. That would be the case, given the standings, no matter what, but the Magic are widely projected to finish with the No. 7 seed. That likely means a battle against the Toronto Raptors and, while that is a tough proposition, the Magic are in a different place than you may think. Orlando has real decisions to make with regard to their roster, especially if Evan Fournier declines his player option, and giving the Raptors a real battle in a playoff series would bring optimism that may not currently exist in some circles.
X-FACTOR
If Isaac is able to play, he would be the answer, both as Orlando’s best long-term prospect and as a terrifying defensive presence in a present-day sense. If he can’t, though, the Magic will be more reliant on Aaron Gordon and Mo Bamba. Gordon often finds his name associated with trade buzz, even if not in full-fledged rumors, and a strong showing here could help Orlando to see its future. As for Bamba, a shaky rookie year gave way to real strides in year two, and even if Vucevic is “the guy” right now, Bamba could develop in this setting.
BIGGEST ON-COURT QUESTION
Can the Magic score enough? Orlando enters the bubble with the worst offensive rating (107.5 points per 100 possessions) of any team at Walt Disney World, and that is a product of a roster that doesn’t have a No. 1 option. Fournier is a quality wing, Vucevic is a high-end offensive center and there are interesting auxiliary pieces. With that said, the Raptors have the No. 2 defense in the league and, if that widely projected playoff match-up comes to pass, Orlando will have an uphill climb to score with any level of efficiency. In a five-game playoff series last season, the Magic scored just 95.8 points per 100 possessions against the Raptors and, well, they aren’t going to pose a substantial threat if that baseline reoccurs.