There is not a lot competitors for the No. 1 seed within the Japanese Convention given the dominance of the Boston Celtics this season. However the race for the remainder of the highest 4 is heating up and the Orlando Magic have entered the dialog after getting scorching in latest weeks.
Orlando Magic now in 4th place after latest rise
Paolo Banchero leads a fourth-ranked Magic crew whereas averaging 23/7/5 with ZERO nationwide media consideration in his second 12 months.
Give him his flowers 💐 pic.twitter.com/TOu4CLNBcK
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 6, 2024
They obtained off to among the best and most shocking begins of any crew within the NBA. Led by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, the Magic began with a 14–5 document by their first 19 video games, and have been in second place within the East by early December. However the crew struggled to get by the vacations and the scenario didn’t enhance a lot through the month of January. Orlando would win solely 10 of its subsequent 28 video games and located itself with a 24–23 document and in seventh place as of January 30.
They’ve improved tremendously since then. As of Wednesday morning, the Magic have climbed all the way in which to 4th place after successful 12 of the final 15, overtaking the Knicks within the standings after New York failed in latest weeks.
The success is due largely to Banchero’s elevated play surrounding his first All-Star look. The second-year participant out of Duke is rapidly turning into one of the crucial underrated younger stars within the league, averaging 23 factors, 6.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists per recreation. He has additionally been sturdy, having performed in all however two video games thus far this season. Banchero is averaging practically 27 factors during the last three video games.
Protection has been key all season
The Orlando Magic are 36-26.
They’ve gained twelve of the final fifteen.
They’re the fourth seed within the East.
The early season match was no fluke.
It was magical basketball. pic.twitter.com/um1wXSs0JK
— PaoloMuse (@PaoloBMuse) March 6, 2024
Nevertheless it has been the protection that has been probably the most essential ingredient to Orlando’s success this season. They offer up a median of 109.5 factors per recreation, the third lowest mark within the league, and rank first within the league in rebounds and assists given as much as their opponents. Impressively, they’ve held three of their final 4 opponents beneath 100 factors, with the fourth scoring 107 factors. All 4 video games have been wins.
Can they maintain on? The Magic have been helped by one of many softer schedules of late, as they took on the Detroit Pistons 3 times in February, in addition to the Nets, Spurs and Hornets. However issues will not get going for one more few weeks as there are video games in opposition to the Wizards and Hornets on the horizon, in addition to two video games in opposition to the Raptors.
Orlando has a 7.5 level lead going into tonight’s recreation in opposition to Washington.