<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">ORLANDO - An Orlando Magic team that started the season 14-5 but then endured a disastrous three months might need to finish the way it started if it wants to make the playoffs for the first time since 2003. Mired at a disappointing 28-33 after losing seven of the past eight games since the All-Star break, the Magic now find themselves out of the top eight in the Eastern Conference. Orlando spent much of November with the East's best record and it led the Southeast Division for 42 days before beginning its 14-28 freefall. But the Magic can take heart in knowing that putting together a strong closing kick is entirely possible. A year ago Tuesday, Orlando was 20-40 and seemingly on its way to finishing last season with one of the NBA's worst records. But the Magic proceeded to win 16 of their next 20 games and just narrowly missed the playoffs. If the Magic hope to pass No. 6 Miami (29-29), No. 7 Indiana (29-29), No. 8 New Jersey (28-31) and No. 9 New York (28-33), they likely will have to start a late-season push tonight against Milwaukee in Orlando. The Magic have split two games so far this season with the Bucks, but Milwaukee has star guard Michael Redd back now. Magic star center Dwight Howard has been insistent all season that the Magic will make the playoffs, and he isn't shying away from that proclamation now. He has never played in a postseason game in his 21/2 NBA seasons, but he's confident that Orlando has what it takes to reach the playoffs. "We are a playoff team. I believe that and everybody in our organization knows that," Howard said. "It's just going to come down to how hard we work every day. We have to be focused and ready to play. A lot of the teams we play, they have a lot of veterans who have been in the playoffs. We're young, and playing these type of teams will help us (in the playoffs)." The Magic just finished a streak of seven consecutive games against teams likely headed to the playoffs, and their only win was a gritty seven-point victory in Chicago on Monday night. But the schedule lightens up dramatically down the stretch, seemingly favoring a strong closing kick. Of the 21 remaining games, 11 are at Amway Arena where the Magic are 18-12 this season. They still have 11 games remaining against teams likely headed to the playoffs, but none are of the ilk of San Antonio and Dallas -- the two teams Orlando lost to on Friday and Saturday. Orlando still plays Milwaukee and Boston twice apiece, and also has softer games against Philadelphia, Minnesota, Sacramento, Charlotte and Memphis. But not even those games have been sure things for a Magic squad that is just 16-17 against sub-.500 teams this season. Among their bad losses have been falling three times to Atlanta, to Memphis without Pau Gasol, to Toronto without Chris Bosh, to the Los Angeles Lakers without Lamar Odom, to Milwaukee without Redd and to New Orleans/Oklahoma City without Chris Paul, Peja Stojakovic and David West. "We don't want to have to scramble. That's a situation we (have to) take care of now," Magic reserve point guard Carlos Arroyo said. "We need to understand that those games are going to hurt us later. Once the playoffs start, we don't want to look back and say, 'Dang, we should have beaten Milwaukee and what happened in Toronto?' We've got to take care of business so we're not worried about that at the end." Despite facing monumental odds, the Magic played well enough to win Saturday in Dallas. Facing a Mavericks team that has the NBA's best record and was riding a 14-game winning streak, Orlando actually led by six points with 8 minutes to play. But Most Valuable Player candidate Dirk Nowitzki had two 3-pointers and a conventional three-point play down the stretch to down the Magic 103-98. "We want to make the playoffs and I know we can," said Howard, who had 25 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots against the Mavs. "We've just got to keep fighting."</div> Source
Magic aren't even in the playoff picture at this point? Kind saddening, because they started oh so well. I didn't think they could play at a really high level all season, but I didn't expect them to drop dramatically either.
Magic are still only half a game out and looking at the rest of the schedule, it really isn't that bad. We are definitely in the picture, but things have to turn around in a hurry for us to get in.
<div class="quote_poster">GatorsowntheNCAA Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Magic are still only half a game out and looking at the rest of the schedule, it really isn't that bad. We are definitely in the picture, but things have to turn around in a hurry for us to get in.</div> Practically the same situation with the Nets, expect they have been bad all year. Honestly, I rooting for you guys.
It's a really close situation right now. I mean, if we win tonight and the Nets lose tomorrow (they play the Mavs in Dallas), then we slide back into the 8th seed spot.
I think the Magic are gonna go on that winning streak they had last year at the end of the season. I think a strong playoff push is in the near future and we'll make like the 7th seed. We were 16-6 at the end of the last season and I think a similar record is going to happen. That's my prediction.
