The Orlando Magic have been in a massive rebuild for the last 2 seasons. It seems like it has been longer than that. The 2022/23 season looked like it would be more of the same in Orlando. But since December 8th, the Magic have turned a corner. The Orlando Magic are getting better, and just look at their record since December 8th: 17-12. They started the season 5-20, but have turned a corner. 4 of their last 12 losses have come by 5 points or less. They have wins over teams like Boston, Philadelphia, the Clippers, and Golden State.
Looking at the roster, and Orlando has one of the more exciting young rosters in the league. Paolo Banchero is everything the franchise could have hoped for after taking him #1 overall in the draft. Banchero leads the team in points per game, is second in rebounds, third in assists, and fourth in steals. Former #1 overall pick Markelle Fultz seems to have found some semblance of his game. And young talent like Cole Anthony, Bol Bol, Jalen Suggs, and Franz Wagner are starting to come into their own in the league. This roster is young and becoming good.
After the All-Star break the Magic have a very manageable schedule. 11 of the 23 games for Orlando are against sub-.500 teams, and 12 of the games are at home. As of the time of this article (February 6th), the Magic sit just 3 games behind the Wizards for the 10 seed in the East which would put them in the play-in tournament. They are 7 games behind the Heat for the 6 seed which would see them avoid the play in games. Even if the Magic miss out on the playoffs one thing is becoming apparent: The Orlando Magic are getting better quickly. This team has the corps of young talent that could see them become a power in the Eastern Conference.
Post All-Star Break Schedule
2/23 vs Detroit 7:00pm
2/25 vs Indiana 7:00pm
2/27 @ New Orleans 8:00pm
3/1 @ Milwaukee 8:00pm
3/3 @ Charlotte 7:00pm
3/5 vs Portland 7:00pm
3/7 vs Milwaukee 7:00pm
3/9 vs Utah 7:00pm
3/11 vs Miami 7:00pm
3/14 @ San Antonio 8:00pm
3/16 @ Phoenix 10:00pm (NBATV)
3/18 @ LA Clippers 3:00pm
3/19 @ LA Lakers 9:30pm
3/21 vs Washington 7:00pm
3/23 vs New York 7:00pm (NBATV)
3/26 vs Brooklyn 6:00pm
3/28 @ Memphis 8:00pm
3/31 @ Washington 7:00pm
4/2 vs Detroit 6:00pm
4/4 vs Cleveland 7:00pm
4/6 vs Cleveland 7:00pm
4/7 @ Brooklyn 7:30pm
4/9 @ Miami 1:00pm
