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 – Losing Isaac

BTBP: How much has the Jonathan Isaac injury taken the wind out of the Magic’s sails in terms of making some noise going into the playoffs?

PRR: I do not think the team will admit this, but I think it took a lot of their momentum away. The team seemed genuinely excited for Jonathan Isaac’s return. They seemed excited to see him back on the court and have him there. They know how important he is to the team – especially in this kind of a matchup. The fact that Isaac was playing so well only added to the excitement. It felt like the Magic were whole again.

So to see him go down just three games into his long-awaited return…it hurt. I think it took the joy out of that win over the Kings, maybe the Magic’s best all-around performance all year, and I think the team has been trying to figure out how to recreate their energy since then.

I like to say the Magic have a bunch of good secondary players, but few elite-level players or playmaking players. Isaac is an elite-level defender and a defensive playmaker. He is the exact kind of player the Magic would need for the playoffs.