With only four games remaining in the regular season, the Magic are ready to face the Hawks twice in five days.
But it could end up being as many as three times in just seven days based on the final standings in the East and the NBA Play-In Tournament.
Coach Jamahl Mosley doesn’t want Orlando to overthink it.
“We’ve thought about those things as a way to go about it but then you go back to keeping the main thing, the main thing,” the Magic coach said after Monday’s practice at the AdventHealth Training Center. “We have them tomorrow night as a one-game situation and that’s how we have to look at it. You can’t look two or three games ahead [and] you can’t look to the possibility of playing them in the Play-In.
“You’ve got to take care of tomorrow night and that’s the No. 1 focus for us,” he added.
Entering Monday’s slate of games, No. 7 Orlando (38-40) held a 1-game lead over No. 8 Atlanta (37-41), a 2-game lead in front of the No. 9 Chicago (36-42) and a 3-game lead against No. 10 Miami (35-43), the latter of whom hosted already-eliminated Philadelphia (23-55) on a quiet night across the league because of the NCAA national title game.
Still, the Magic, Hawks and Bulls can finish the regular season anywhere between Nos. 7-10 while the Heat can’t end up any better than No. 8 in the conference, according to the NBA.
That’s important because the No. 7 team would host No. 8 on April 15 to determine the 7-seed in the playoffs. The loser of that game would then host the winner of the Nos. 9-10 game April 18 to determine the 8-seed in the playoffs.
Essentially no team is safe and each result matters more than the last with homecourt advantage in the Play-In up for grabs. Orlando, of course, also wants to defend its Southeast Division title.
“I really think it’s a big game,” Mosley said about Tuesday’s matchup with Atlanta. “Understanding the division, knowing where they are, knowing where we are … We’re going to have to see them twice before it’s all said and done. So our ability to focus in on the game plan and understanding what we’re doing both offensively and defensively is going to be very key for us.”
Added Magic forward Paolo Banchero: “Two teams neck-and-neck in the standings, coming down to the last week of the season, so I’m sure both teams are going to be ready to play. I’m excited.”
Orlando ...
