ORLANDO – Unlike in years past, when the Orlando Magic would return from the break for the NBA All-Star Weekend with little left to play for other than pride, there is a tangible and reachable goal there now for the suddenly surging squad to shoot for.
Out of the postseason hunt by February over the previous six seasons, the Magic now find themselves smack-dab in a playoff chase for the first time since 2012.
The Magic (27-32) are in that position thanks to a stirring five-game winning streak in the days leading up to the break for the All-Star Game. Their mission now is to try and carry that momentum over to the final 23-game stretch that will ultimately decide their playoff fate. That critical stretch begins on Friday night when the Magic face a Chicago Bulls (14-44) team that it has beaten two times in three meetings thus far this season.
``It’s totally different and a totally different mindset now,’’ said shooting guard Evan Fournier, who is in his fifth season with the Magic. ``For me, personally, it’s the first time (being in the playoff race) since being with the Magic. … I missed it and it’s a fun part of the year, so we should all be excited now.’’
Orlando opened Thursday in ninth place in the East and just a half-game out of the final playoff spot, but that will change later as the Miami Heat play at Philadelphia on Thursday night. Miami (26-30) and Detroit (26-30) are tied for eighth ��� just ahead of the Magic.
That position is downright lofty compared to where the Magic were at the All-Star break over the previous six seasons. They were 15-37 in 2013, 16-38 in 2014, 17-39 in 2015, 23-29 in 2016, 21-37 in 2017 and 18-39 in 2018 – records that usually meant they were already close to being eliminated from playoff contention.
This time around, the Magic find themselves in a jam-packed scenario where just three games separate five teams from the No. 6-10 slots in the Eastern Conference. Various projection sites are of the belief that the Magic are playoff bound. FiveThirtyEight.com is projecting that the Magic will win 38 games and that they have a 62 percent shot at getting in the postseason. Meanwhile, BasketballReference.com is giving Orlando a 59.6 percent chance of reaching the playoffs – the seventh-best odds in the East and better than those of the Pistons (57.3 percent), Hornets (57.3 percent) and Heat (47.6 percent).
Unlike in years past, the Magic know now that every game now has significant meaning and something as small as a random tiebreaker could be the difference between making the playoffs and being left out.
``It feels great being in this position, but at the same time we can’t let that (pressure) get to us,’’ said point guard D.J. Augustin, a veteran of several playoff runs over the course of his 11-year NBA career. ``We’ve got to fight like we’re not in the playoffs and push through these last few games, finish strong and let things work out however they may.’’
The Magic have worked the past two days to try and regain the surging momentum that the squad had prior to the break for the All-Star Game. Orlando beat Minnesota, Milwaukee, Atlanta, New Orleans and Charlotte in the days leading up to the break and they are hopeful of recapturing the same edge that allowed them to rise 3 ½ games in the standings. Head coach Steve Clifford had referees in practice each of the past two days as the squad scrimmaged extensively in an effort to help players regain their rhythm.
``We went up and down a lot and broke down the defense a lot like a regular practice,’’ Clifford said. ``Again, (the players) are still trying to get their rhythm back, so there was more contact.
``They were good, but with these first couple (of games and practices) are so hard to tell because you get so used to playing, but we needed the break,’’ Clifford added. ``But you’re not going to know, really, until you get out there (for game action).’’
Orlando’s five-game winning streak is the second-longest active streak in the NBA, trailing only Toronto’s six straight wins prior to the All-Star break. Recent history, however, shows that teams often have trouble transferring momentum over after having an extended period of time off. Of the six teams that have had winning streaks of at least four games in the past two seasons, four of them lost their first game after the NBA All-Star break.
Fournier admitted that while he used the time off to rest his body, his mind never really strayed from the task at hand with the Magic. Being in the playoff race has revitalized his spirit and he said he was eagerly anticipating a return to basketball.
``It felt good to be back on the court, to be honest, and those five days (off) were too long,’’ Fournier said. ``You know, when you have something to play for like we do (it’s motivating). We’re in a great spot to have fun for the rest of the season. So, that break wasn’t the best timing for us, but it’s great to be back.’’
The Magic made significant strides before the break by getting contributions from several places on the roster and playing as well defensively as it has all season. The Magic offense was so efficient that five players – Nikola Vucevic (19.4 ppg.), Terrence Ross (17.8 ppg.), Jonathan Isaac (15.8 ppg.), Fournier (15.2 ppg.) and Aaron Gordon (15 ppg.) – averaged at least 15 points over the five-game winning streak.
That kind of balance allowed Orlando to set a couple of franchise marks. For the first time in the 30 years of the Magic, Orlando won three straight road games by at least 16 points and it also won consecutive games by 30-or-more points.
``We should just play the same way as far as moving the ball, playing with each other, playing with confidence and playing like a winning team would play,’’ Fournier said. ``It’s easy to say, but it’s difficult to do, so we’ll see what happens.’’
Now in his third season in Orlando, Augustin is in a playoff chase for the first time in a Magic uniform. He said there’s a certain energy around a team when it knows that ever game matters. The sense of urgency created by the need to win makes the monotony of practice, film sessions and travelling go away.
And unlike in years past, when the Magic were out of the race and there was little to nothing on the line, there is now an anticipation to play the games. Winning breeds a hunger for more winning.
``Every game matters, and it’s going to come down to who’s on top of their games – both individually and collectively,’’ said Augustin, who has been to the playoffs three times in his career, appearing in 28 postseason games. ``We have to take every game – even (Friday’s) game – and act like it’s a playoff game.’’
Added Fournier, who reached the 2013 NBA playoffs while playing for the Denver Nuggets: ``You play team sports to be in those big playoff moments and those high-intensity moments, and that’s what the playoffs are. When you have a chance to get there, especially for guys like myself and (Nikola Vucevic) who haven’t been there in a while, it means a lot to us (being back in the playoff hunt). It’s rewarding to get a shot.’’
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