The Orlando Magic are standing proper towards an not possible activity of beating one of many league’s greatest, they usually seem depressing already because the battle has simply started.
Regardless of tons of harm disaster throughout their group all season lengthy, the Orlando Magic nonetheless persevered and grinded their method again to aggressive relevance.
Concluding the common season because the No. 7 group within the Japanese Convention ladder, they simply stamped their ticket to the 2025 NBA Playoffs by dismantling the Atlanta Hawks within the Play-In Event.
However of their entry to the postseason stage, what awaited them has been a serious impediment to beat with, drawing the No. 2 Boston Celtics for his or her first-round matchup.
Regardless of how daunting it could be, the Magic wholeheartedly embraced the problem of battling the reigning champs to begin their playoffs. Even franchise star Paolo Banchero expressed pleasure in going head-to-head towards Jayson Tatum.
However proper at their sequence opener, the Magic immediately endured an enormous slap within the face as they received steamrolled by the Celtics, affected by a brutal 103-86 loss inside the TD Backyard.
Banchero stepped up because the group’s first choice, ending with a robust 36-point, 11-board efficiency. In the meantime, Franz Wagner poured 23 factors and 5 assists, incomes the intrigue of former NBA massive man Channing Frye.
However the supporting forged behind them was fully nonexistent. No different Magic participant scored double digits because it was simply Jonathan Isaac who tallied an terrible 7 factors for Orlando’s third greatest scoring efficiency.
The Magic’s collective offense exterior Banchero and Wagner is past horrendous, and Draymond Inexperienced referred to as out Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to raise his recreation essentially with a purpose to assist the 2 Magic stars.
“KCP goes to need to step up, he’s the one with the championship expertise, we going to wish to see KCP step up,” the Golden State Warriors star mentioned on his The Draymond Inexperienced Present with Baron Davis.
“This has type of been the issue with the Magic, they want just a little extra. Who else goes to do it? They’re enjoying a juggernaut, this may very well be a sweep.”
The Magic’s prized offseason acquisition from final yr, Caldwell-Pope joined Orlando after two productive seasons within the Denver Nuggets, serving as an integral piece to the franchise’s 2023 NBA championship victory.
Inking a three-year deal value $66MM, the expectations have been excessive for the veteran as he entered the Magic. However this season, he’s comparatively disappointing with a 2024-25 averages of 8.7 factors in 43.9 % taking pictures in 77 video games performed.
As Jalen Suggs stays out indefinitely upon present process a season-ending knee surgical procedure final month, the Magic desperately wants a dependable third choice. And for Baron Davis, it’s up for the remainder of Orlando’s key gamers to grab that function in matching Boston for the remainder of the sequence.
“Cole Anthony, [Anthony] Black these guys have gotten to step up considered one of these guys has received to take the problem, be that third particular person,” Davis argued.
The Magic should be satisfied that they didn’t make it this far simply to fold immediately towards towards the Celtics. Ultimately, they need to do no matter it takes to make it a compelling sequence and take advantage of out of their probabilities to tug an upset no matter how slim it could be.
Recreation 2 is ready between each groups on April 23. It’s as much as the Magic in the event that they’ll preserve the combat or let the Celtics simply ace the seven-game duel already.
