Magic head west on high note
Beating the struggling Detroit Pistons on Friday and the tanking Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday put some gloss on the Orlando Magic’s disappointing season.
But now comes a difficult stretch that could knock the Magic back into the NBA cellar.
The Magic left Central Florida on Sunday afternoon to begin a 10-day trip to play the Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs.
“It’s going to be a difficult road trip, but we’re going to come together,” forward said.
The last time the Magic left for the West Coast, on Nov. 9, they held an 8-4 record.
But they lost their final three games of the trip — falling to the Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers — to begin a nine-game losing streak from which they’ve never fully recovered.
To be sure, a lengthening list of injuries contributed to the decline, but the season started to go south when the Magic went out west.
“It’s a good challenge for us,” coach said.
“Obviously, playing on the West Coast is always a challenge — a different time zone and everything like that, and the competition typically is very good out there.
“For us, our whole thing right now is we’re trying to build a winning culture.”
The Magic will face the Jazz tonight.
On Nov. 18, the Jazz crushed the Magic 125-85 at Amway Center in the Magic’s first game after their previous West Coast trip. This time, the Magic at least will enter a game against the Jazz with more momentum.
“It’s definitely great to take these wins on the road with us,” rookie forward
said. “We’ve been frustrated for a long time, and being able to have some good vibes going into the long flight is going to be great.”
,a shooting guard on his second 10-day contract, is listed as questionable to play against the Jazz because he has a sore right knee. Shooting guard
remains sidelined because of a right knee injury he suffered on Nov. 29.