NBA Power Rankings: Orlando Magic Stays at Top?

The Orlando Magic has won its last two games. Where does the team land in the latest power rankings?

Jeremy Brener | Dec 12, 2023

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Orlando Magic

ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic is back on a winning streak after stumbling in two road games a week ago.

Following losses to the Brooklyn Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road, the Magic has grabbed wins against the Detroit Pistons and Cavs at home.

The 2-2 stretch has placed the Magic at No. 7 in CBS Sports' power rankings, three spots lower than last week.

Detroit Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) shoots the ball over Orlando Magic guard Caleb Houstan (2) during the second quarter at Amway Center. — Detroit Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) shoots the ball over Orlando Magic guard Caleb Houstan (2) during the second quarter at Amway Center / Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

"Orlando split with the Cavs this week, with an extremely comfortable win over the Pistons in between," CBS Sports writes. "Paolo Banchero scored a career-high 42 points on 16-for-26 shooting in the loss to Cleveland, while Franz Wagner put up 20 points, five rebounds and five assists per game for the week."

The Magic ranks behind the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder and Sacramento Kings.

Banchero Praises Orlando's Gritty Play vs. Cleveland

This week, the Magic will have a direct opportunity to move up in the power rankings with a pair of games against the Celtics on Friday and Sunday. The games will mark the second and third meetings between the two teams this season.

Orlando and Boston last played against one another on Black Friday in the In-Season Tournament, where the Magic pulled off a big win at home that somewhat put the team on the map in the eyes of the national audience. The team's performances this weekend could continue to establish the team's spot at the top of the league ... or it could relegate it towards the middle of the pack.

Published Dec 12, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.