NBA 2018-19: Why the Orlando Magic will not make the 2019 NBA playoffs
The Orlando Magic beat the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night by 4 points 123-119 in overtime. It was the Magic's 35th win of the season and they find themselves 9th overall in the Eastern Conference. The Magic are just 1 game behind the Miami Heat, their Florida State NBA cousin franchise, and 1.5 games ahead of the Charlotte Hornets who are 10th in the East.
The very last time the Magic made the NBA playoffs was in 2012. They were the 6th seed in the East that year and wound up losing 4 games to 1 to the then 3rd seeded Indiana Pacers. It was a different time for the Magic as their roster included center Dwight Howard, in his prime, Jameer Nelson, Jason Richardson, and Hedo Turkoglu.
Its been six years since that first-round playoff appearance. The 2019 season could very well be a 7th season of misery for Orlando Magic fans. In 2017-18 the Magic were 25-57 and 14th in the East. Therefore, this season has meant progress as they have 10 wins more and rank 4 places higher than they did last year. Unfortunately, it will not be enough for a return to the playoffs. Here are the reasons why:
#3 The Magic’s Schedule:
The Magic are in a tough spot. They are just one game behind the Miami Heat and 1.5 games up on the Charlotte Hornets. A strong push in the final 9 games of their season could see them secure the 8th and final playoff spot in the East. On the other hand, a losing streak could result in another disappointing season for the Magic. The Magic’s schedule suggests their organization will be spectators when the 2019 NBA season begins.
As of Tuesday, the Magic’s next five opponents are Philadelphia, Miami, Detroit, Indiana, and Toronto. Three of these 5 opponents are part of the East’s elite teams and Detroit is 6th in the East 2.5 games ahead of the Magic. The Philadelphia game is in Orlando, on Monday night, but the other games are on the road. The Orlando Magic are 13-22 on the road this season. It's hard to imagine them just keeping pace or moving ahead of Miami by winning one or two of those 5 games.
The Magic are 2-1 vs the Raptors this season, 2-1 vs the Heat, 1-2 vs the Pistons, 1-2 vs Philadelphia, and 1-2 vs Indiana. A record of 7-8 vs playoff teams isn’t bad. However, a sub .500 or .500 record in their final 9 games is not going to be good enough at this late stage of the season to secure a playoff spot. Orlando securing a playoff spot will mean Miami, or Detroit collapsing and going into slumps to close the season. Ultimately, even if that scenario occurs, the Magic must win their games.