For Slumping Magic, Month at Home Comes at Right Time

Having lost 14 of their last 19 games, the Orlando Magic's stretch of 10 home games in the upcoming month is hitting at the right time. The key to capitalizing on it? "Embracing each moment," Jamahl Mosley said.

Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black (0) shoots a three point basket during the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Kia Center. / Mike Watters-Imagn Images

ORLANDO, Fla. — One game at Atlanta and the All-Star break.

For the 25-28 Orlando Magic, who are eighth in the Eastern Conference and need a change of fortune, those are the only times in the next month that they'll be away from home.

Starting Saturday night against the new-look San Antonio Spurs, the Magic will be home for 10 of the next 11 games from Feb. 8 to March 6. Nine of those 11 opponents currently have sub-.500 records.

To call this stretch invaluable would be an understatement.

"I kind of get chills thinking about it," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. "The intensity of the game is turning up, our guys coming back slowly and getting healthy, we'll have a whole team, then just having our spirit in the right direction. Being at home, in front of our home fans — just being able to feel the energy, feel the crowd, and exactly how much they support us.

"There's nothing better than the intensity, this moment, for us to be able to regroup and restart back at home."

The Magic started their road trip Jan. 27 with a double-overtime loss at Miami, then dropped four of five games out West.

Since Dec. 6, when Franz Wagner joined Paolo Banchero on the Magic's bench with a torn right oblique, the Magic's record has flipped on its head — 9-20 with 14 losses in their past 19 games.

The next four weeks at home could be the difference between a guaranteed playoff berth or a play-in position.

"It's super important," Jonathan Isaac said. "Where we are, for how the road trip went, we've got to take care of business."

The league is about momentum, said second-year guard Anthony Black. "What teams have it, what teams don't have it. I think just getting in a rhythm, playing under the same roof, can get our momentum back. Finishing up these last couple games before the break, and then trying to carry that on as we come back and get into the hunt."

While a glance at the Magic's record may suggest the sky is falling, their closest Eastern Conference foes are by no means shutting the door on them.

If the playoffs started tomorrow, Orlando would visit Miami in the 7-8 Play-In tournament game. The winner would go on to face No. 2 Boston in the first round, while the loser would host the winner of the Atlanta-Chicago No.9-No.10 contest. The winner of that contest would get current top-seed Cleveland, while the loser's season would come to a conclusion.

Yet, time remains for the Magic to climb back into the top six — or even higher — and secure certain playoff seeding.

As of Saturday, the East standings shape up like this:

1. Cleveland, 42-10
2. Boston, 36-16, 6 GB
3. New York, 34-17, 7.5 GB
4. Indiana, 29-21, 12 GB
5. Milwaukee, 27-23, 14 GB
6. Detroit, 26-26, 16 GB
7. Miami, 25-25, 16 GB
8. Orlando, 25-28, 17.5 GB
9. Atlanta, 24-28, 18 GB
10. Chicago, 22-20, 20 GB

As for head-to-head season series, which is the first tiebreaker utilized in determining ties in records:

• Orlando owns the tiebreaker over Detroit after winning the season series 2-1.
• One matchup remains with Indiana (2-1 Magic), Boston (1-1) and Chicago (1-1). Four remain with Atlanta, and two are left with Cleveland (1-0 Cavs).
• Orlando and Miami split at 2-2
• Milwaukee secured the season series by winning the first three matchups, but one game still remains. New York beat Orlando 3-1.

Last year, the Magic went 17-10 after the All-Star break, earning the fifth seed with their 47th win on the final day of the regular season.

The key to replicating that success?

"Embracing each moment," Mosley said. "I think that's going to be very important, understanding where we are right now — not just in standings, but just in style of play. How do we want to get ourselves on the right track overall, creating that rhythm [and] that chemistry as we get guys back in the lineup?

"But then getting to do it at home with some familiarity, with some continuity, and the chemistry that we can create. Sleeping in your own bed, getting the same routine every day. There's something — a lot — to be said about that."

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• WELTMAN EXPLAINS MAGIC'S QUIET DEADLINE: After not making a move at the trade deadline, Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said Orlando doesn't "regard [themselves] as having to panic right now." CLICK HERE
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