Milwaukee Bucks: Getting the expert’s view on the Orlando Magic ahead of the playoffs

Milwaukee Bucks: Getting the expert’s view on the Orlando Magic ahead of the playoffs – Bubble trouble

BTBP: After a positive start, the Magic have gone on a losing skid for most of their time in the bubble so far. Do you expect that to take a toll on the team’s confidence heading into the playoffs?

PRR: I think the team is definitely at a bit of a low. They have not been able to play well and injuries have really hit the roster hard. The team probably will not admit it, but they were as high as they have been all year with Jonathan Isaac back in the lineup, but then crashed hard when he tore his ACL. I do think that has rattled the team some. They have struggled to find energy or replace his defensive playmaking.

The big thing is the Magic’s struggles against teams with winning records. Those four games in the middle of their schedule against the Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics should have been a chance to gain confidence against those teams. Instead, they struggled to compete – especially to the end of games. Orlando finished 5-30 against teams with winning records, the worst record of any team within the bubble.