When the schedule was first released back in August, you may have wondered how important the last day of the regular season would be for the Orlando Magic.
Well, the way things have played out, it couldn’t be more important.
Yet to clinch a playoff spot after losing 125-113 to the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night, the Magic will now turn their attention to Sunday when they host the Milwaukee Bucks at 1 p.m. at Kia Center.
There are many scenarios in play. But the bottom line is, because the Indiana Pacers lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, the Magic will lock up either the five or six seed in the playoffs with a win over the Bucks.
“It will be great to play in front of our home fans,” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said. “We control our destiny in this situation, so the way in which we have to play, the focus we have to have, and the attention to detail in how we start games and how we finish games is going to be very important.”
In all three games of this road trip, the Magic’s defense was not where it needed to be. Against Houston on Tuesday, they gave up 118 points. Then the next night in Milwaukee, they surrendered 117. The 125 points scored by Philly were the most by an Orlando opponent since before the All-Star break.
Franz Wagner made his return following a two-game absence due to a sprained right ankle and led the Magic with 24 points, while Paolo Banchero filled up the stat sheet with 22 points, a season-high 15 rebounds and seven assists.
“I felt good. The foot felt fine,” Wagner said. “Happy to be back out there.”
Wendell Carter Jr. left the game due to back spasms after playing only the first four minutes.
Joel Embiid, who briefly left the game after landing awkwardly following a made shot late in the second quarter, scored 32 points in 32 minutes, while Tyrese Maxey tallied 28 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. finished with 21.
The Sixers swept the season series with the Magic, giving them the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage over Orlando. However, if Orlando, Philadelphia and Indiana end up in a three-way tie – which would happen if the Magic beat the Bucks, the Sixers beat the Nets and the Pacers beat the Hawks – then Orlando would claim the No. 5 seed.
Another way the Magic will be the No. 5 seed is if the Magic and Pacers both win and the Sixers lose, as Orlando holds the head-to-head tiebreaker edge over Indiana.
Orlando will be the No. 6 seed if they and the Sixers win, but the Pacers lose.
With the Miami Heat defeating the Toronto Raptors on Friday, the Magic have still yet to clinch the Southeast Division title. If the Magic lose Sunday and the Heat win Sunday (rematch against Raptors), then Miami will win the division and jump the Magic in the final standings.