NBA Record Predictions: Can Magic Improve Upon 47-Win Season?

Bleacher Report released its annual win-loss record predictions for the 2024-25 NBA season on August 16. Can the Orlando Magic improve its total wins for another consecutive season?

May 5, 2024; Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley reacts during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game seven of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Ever since the 2020-21 NBA season, the Orlando Magic have seen improvements in their total wins on a season-by-season basis.

Starting with 21 wins in the above-mentioned season, the Magic improved by a single win a season later – albeit, with ten more games on the schedule following the shortened season after a delayed start because of COVID. It was the first season under head coach Jamahl Mosley, who will oversee his fourth season manning the Magic sidelines starting this fall.

Real improvement came the next season, thanks in part to a second season from Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs, plus the arrival of Paolo Banchero after his draft selection the offseason prior. Orlando jumped from 22 wins to 34 between 2022 and 2023, and 13 more wins came by the end of the 2024 season. That year-over-year improvement was enough to put the Magic in the playoff picture, and they've made moves geared toward staying in that conversation ahead of the upcoming year on the hardwood.

Yet, with their opponents also making improvements and returning to full health in 2024-25, do the Magic have another record improvement in store this season?

Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report thinks so, as the Magic were tabbed to have a slight increase in the win total in 2024-25 as revealed in BR's annual win-loss prediction for every team in the league.

Bailey predicted the Magic to finish the season with a 48-34 record, which would earn them a sixth-place finish in the East in congruence with the projections for the other teams – trailing:

1. Boston (56-26)
2. Philadelphia (52-30)
3. Milwaukee (51-31)
4. New York (49-33)
5. Cleveland (49-33)
6. Orlando (48-34)

As with Houston, it's hard to imagine the Orlando Magic going anywhere but up.

Their two best players, Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, are 22 and 21, respectively. Both have legitimate power forward size, with legitimate wing games. They can create for themselves and others, get to the basket and have shown flashes of outside shooting ability.

If it all comes together for both, Orlando will threaten for 50 wins.

But even if there are still some growing pains (the likelier scenario), there's enough talent all over the rest of this roster for the Magic to get back to the playoffs.

Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Isaac are two of the best defenders in the league. Wendell Carter Jr. is a solid defensive anchor with some outside shooting ability. Cole Anthony is a good heat-check scorer. And KCP was a near-perfect addition as a veteran who'll take on tough assignments and space the floor without demanding a ton of time on the ball.

- Andy Bailey, Bleacher Report

Sportsbooks in Vegas place the Magic's over/under at 47.5 heading into the season, with +4000 or longer odds (depending on the sportsbook) to win the 2025 NBA Finals. In a league chock full of parity, oddsmakers still believe the Magic have a mountain to climb to be considered one of the best teams in the league.

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• SUGGS' NEXT DEAL: Jalen Suggs and the Magic have until October 21 to sign a new contract extension. What type of money might the new deal include? CLICK HERE