How Orlando Magic can Escape Play-In
The NBA added the play-in tournament as a way to create more excitement at the end of the regular season, and give more teams a chance to compete for a playoff spot. For the Orlando Magic, it would be simpler if the play-in did not exist.
Sitting as the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Magic are looking at a play-in game to make the postseason. The good news is they can still escape and secure a playoff spot.
The players are excited about a potential deep playoff journey.
“I think we got a really good chance to make a playoff run,” Franz Wagner said. “That’s really all that matters now.”
Two regular-season games remain, at the Chicago Bulls (Friday, 8 p.m.) and at the Boston Celtics (Sunday, 6 p.m.). Orlando could still climb as high as the No. 5 seed, but it needs some help.
Path to the Five
While not a likely outcome, the Magic can get the No. 5 seed. Three things need to happen.
First, the Magic need to win out. Two games on the road will not be easy. The Bulls have been eliminated from the playoffs and are just playing for draft position. On the other hand, the Celtics sit as the No. 2 seed in the East.
That game against Boston will prove difficult, but even a victory will not guarantee the Magic anything. They also need both the Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks to lose out.
For the Raptors, that means dropping games to the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden and the Brooklyn Nets in Toronto.
The Knicks are in a similar boat to the Celtics, as they sit in the No. 3 seed. For the Nets, they are looking to the draft lottery as they have just 20 wins on the season.
For the Hawks, it’s a home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers and a road date with the Miami Heat.
The Cavaliers have the No. 3 seed in their sights, while the Heat are hoping to improve their spot in the play-in.
While no game is guaranteed in the NBA, the odds of both teams dropping all four games is unlikely at best.
Escape the Play-in
A more likely goal for Orlando is to just escape the play-in. To do so, it will need to get to the No. 6 seed.
This would require just one of the Hawks or Raptors to lose out, with the Magic winning both games. If the Magic lose just one of their games, the results by the Hawks and Raptors do not matter.
With the Raptors likely to be heavy favorites against the Nets, this will be Orlando’s best chance to get out of the play-in. It will be cheering for its in-state rival, the Heat, to knock off the Hawks on Sunday, if it comes to that.
Worst-Case Scenario
Should Orlando drop each of its last two games, it opens the door to falling to the No. 9 seed. This would mean it would have to win two play-in games just to make the playoffs.
For this to happen, both the Philadelphia 76ers and Charlotte Hornets would need to win just one out of their last two games.
The 76ers travel to Indiana to play the Pacers, then play host to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Hornets get the Detroit Pistons at home before hitting the road to play the Knicks.
Should this reality play out, the Magic would face the Heat in the opening round of the play-in, before taking on the loser of the Hornets and 76ers.
This would mean a road game for the Magic against the Hornets or 76ers with a spot in the playoffs on the line. Coach Jamahl Mosley made it clear the Magic value home-court advantage because of the fans.
“They’re a reason why we get going,” he said.
Mosley went on to describe how the fans’ energy after big defensive stops really motivates the team.
Should the Magic drop to the No. 9 seed, it opens the door for those home fans to only see one more game in person this season, which would be a letdown across the board.
Category: NBA, NBA Playoffs, Orlando Magic
