Episodes
The Orlando Magic scored what we would call a "professional win" over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday. And usually. those are not notable in many ways. But this one was notable because winning like this is a clear sign of their maturity and growth.
Published 11/24/24
Franz Wagner's standout performance against the Los Angeles Lakers put him among the franchise's best players and continued to establish him as a star in the making. Wagner's game-winning three-pointer with two seconds left secured a 119-118 victory for the Orlando Magic.
Published 11/22/24
The Orlando Magic's win streak ended with a loss to the LA Clippers. The game followed the same pattern as other losses for the Magic -- poor shooting and some inconsistency that undercut their defense at a critical moment.
Published 11/21/24
The Orlando Magic are off to a promising start to the season with a 9-6 record. Host Philip Rossman-Reich and guest Mason Williams analyze the team's strong defensive performance, the impact of Wendell Carter's potential return and the challenges of reintegrating Paolo Banchero back into the lineup as they take stock of the first impressions of this season.
Published 11/20/24
Franz Wagner continued to impress, building off winning the Eastern Conference Player of the Week with another All-Star performance in the Orlando Magic's 109-99 win over the Phoenix Suns.
Published 11/19/24
The Orlando Magic put together an impressive home performance, sweeping a five-game homestand to get to 7-0 at the Kia Center. Now the focus shifts to their struggles on the road, where they have a 1-6 record. If the Magic want to accomplish their goals, they need to improve starting with this critical three-game West Coast trip.
Published 11/18/24
The Orlando Magic displayed the traits they will need throughout the season and ultimately for the Playoffs with a resilient and mature showing against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Magic's defensive prowess, particularly in the fourth quarter, was a key factor in their win and something they can take with them for the rest of the season.
Published 11/16/24
Goga Batadze has made an impact for the Orlando Magic, stepping up once again in Wendell Carter's absence. Batadze's contributions, including scoring and defense, have been crucial to the team finding stability again. Jonathan Isaac has also made some important progress as the team moves past its slow start.
Published 11/15/24
The Orlando Magic put on an impressive defensive performance against the Indiana Pacers. The Magic's relentless and suffocating defense was pivotal in their victory, holding the Pacers to 18 points and flipping the game on its head. Despite offensive struggles, the team showcased resilience, turning a deficit into a lead through strong defensive plays, particularly in the fourth quarter.
Published 11/14/24
A week ago, the Orlando Magic were struggling and seemed to be as low as they could be. But they never lacked faith. Tuesday, they continued to regain confidence without Paolo Banchero as they won their third straight game. The team insists nothing changed for them but a lot has changed. Just look at how Franz Wagner has stepped into the starring role.
Published 11/13/24
The NBA Cup is here and still carries a lot of significance for the Orlando Magic. Even though the Magic are a playoff team with expectations, these games are still important for the team's development, especially without key player Paolo Banchero.
Published 11/12/24
The Orlando Magic are making some offensive improvements. But it is not about their 3-point shooting. Not entirely. The team is finding points on the margins and other ways to make up ground.
Published 11/11/24
The Orlando Magic looked refreshed in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans. A big part of the team's turnaround has been Franz Wagner taking on the role as the team's star. How he defines this role will help the Magic stay afloat during this period without Paolo Banchero.
Published 11/09/24
The Orlando Magic are missing the mark on some key areas they need to succeed this season. Their bench has taken a major step back compared to last year. The Magic need them to bounce back and give the team an offensive boost.
Published 11/08/24
The Orlando Magic are still struggling to find a win, dropping their fifth straight game. But the Magic are showing signs of life. Their loss to the Indiana Pacers was disappointing. But the team may have discovered a path to win behind their defense and a revitalized offense.
Published 11/07/24
The Orlando Magic are struggling right now. But the team and fans need perspective during this losing streak. The Magic are not losing ground in the Eastern Conference and have grace to make mistakes and figure out how to play without Paolo Banchero. Still big issues loom for the team's long-term outlook.
Published 11/06/24
The Orlando Magic continue to struggle, dropping their fourth straight game. This time the culprit was clear and obvious: Their shooting. Despite showing defensive improvement, the Magic continue to later from deep presenting them from showing the gains they are making.
Published 11/05/24
The Orlando Magic continued to struggle without star player Paolo Banchero. Their loss to the Dallas Mavericks was a seeming cascade of errors that coalesced into a blowout loss. The team is facing challenges in maintaining their identity and joy on the court. They need to find that before they can move forward.
Published 11/04/24
The Orlando Magic played their first game without Paolo Banchero, falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers. That result almost does not matter as the Magic try to find a path to win without their star.
Published 11/02/24
The Orlando Magic will be without Paolo Banchero for at least the next month with a torn oblique. The impact of his absence will be felt everywhere on the roster. The team will need every player to step up into a new role to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Published 11/01/24
The Orlando Magic's loss to the Chicago Bulls raised a lot of questions as the team struggled to gain offensive traction in the decisive fourth quarter. Despite a strong start, the Magic struggled offensively, particularly in the fourth quarter. And their issues are not just something that has popped up once early in the season.
Published 10/31/24
Anthony Black got thrown into the deep end during his rookie year. But he learned from that season and his growth has been pivotal to the Orlando Magic early this season. While everyone celebrated Paolo Banchero's 50-point game, the team was celebrating Black's clutch shot and how far he has come already.
Published 10/30/24
Paolo Banchero put in an impressive 50-point performance against the Indiana Pacers, showcasing why he is set to make a push for the All-NBA team and make a lap this season. His biggest plays in the Magic's 119-115 win were not the scoring plays, it was his defense and passing that made the difference.
Published 10/29/24
The Orlando Magic suffered their first loss of the season and can blame perhaps their most significant weakness. Despite a strong third-quarter performance, turnovers and defensive lapses were detrimental. The Magic did not play up to their standard.
Published 10/27/24