With a 117-113 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, the Orlando Magic have officially been eliminated from playoff contention.
This marks the third season in a row that the Magic have failed to make the playoffs and the twelfth since the team has progressed past the first round of the Eastern Conference.
The result is disappointing given the Magic’s recent string of results. Entering Tuesday, the team had won six of their last eight games, propelling them to an outside chance of making this year’s play-in tournament.
However, fans have a lot to be optimistic about. The 2022-2023 season was a resurgent one for Magic point guard Markelle Fultz who scored 23 points in Tuesday’s loss. Meanwhile, Paolo Banchero, this season’s presumptive NBA Rookie of the Year, has certainly lived up to the pedigree that comes with being the first overall pick of the draft.
The Orlando Magic will play three more games this season, starting with another match against Cleveland on Thursday at the Amway Center, before heading to Brooklyn, then ending the year with a game against Miami on April 9.
