© Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Magic Built 'Very Special' Foundation in Playoffs Debut
The Orlando Magic are out of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, but they have the groundwork for a team that can be a yearly contender in the Eastern Conference.
ORLANDO — This season, the Orlando Magic didn't end things the way they wanted to, but they achieved what they set out to do.
Even though the sting of Sunday's Game 7 loss still looms, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley isn't discounting the things the team accomplished during the year.
"I think we accomplished a lot," Mosley said. "I think we did a great job of handling the highs and lows of the season. ... I thought that was great. Our young guys learned how to win in this league which was what we've talked about from the beginning of the year. ... Those are things that you'll look back on and say, you got better, you grew and you built something very special for years to come."
It's taken three years with Mosley's culture shift to get the Magic here, and it's expected to grow even further after the coach signed an extension midway through the season. The plan is in place, the players know how to buy in, and they know how to win. They also know what it takes to get to the playoffs and win while they are there.
Their lack of success in the playoffs has them hungry for what's to come and they plan on fighting harder for homecourt advantage in the future and better executing plans in the moment, which was the reason behind the Game 7 loss.
So even though the Magic didn't go as far as they had hoped, they are certainly much closer to where they want to be than they were a year ago.
Related stories on the Orlando Magic
- GAME 7 LOSS NECESSARY FOR MAGIC'S GROWTH: The Orlando Magic's season ended with their Game 7 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but that could be exactly what they need to improve to become a contender. CLICK HERE
- MOSLEY, BANCHERO DEFEND WAGNER: Franz Wagner scored six points in the Orlando Magic's 106-94 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 7 of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. CLICK HERE
- MAGIC'S ASCENT BEGINS: The Orlando Magic have been eliminated from the 2024 NBA Playoffs, but they should be back for many years to come. CLICK HERE
