Coming off a five-game winning streak, the Orlando Magic appeared poised to solidify their playoff position and avoid the play-in tournament. Facing a “B-team” version of the Boston Celtics—who are locked into the No. 2 seed and resting key starters—the opportunity was there.

Instead, the Magic let it slip away, suffering a costly loss that jeopardized their chances at securing a guaranteed playoff spot.

Following the defeat, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst didn’t hold back, criticizing Orlando on First Take and calling it potentially one of the team’s worst losses in recent memory.

“This was a freaking disaster. Disaster,” Windhorst said. “This was a freaking disaster. Let me tell you, Stephen A what actually happened in this game? So Boston was sitting its top. I watched seven-ish guys, eight-ish guys, yep. So in an honoring of how well he played this year and was full of injuries, Desmond Bane, who was traded for in the preseason, they played him the first six minutes of this game. It was his 82nd start. He started every game. There's less than 20 players in the whole league who played all 82; only a handful started all 82 Mikal Bridges started all 82 for the Knicks. They played him for six minutes. They pulled him out. That was it.”

Windhorst also credited Joe Mazzulla for keeping his group competitive, as the Boston Celtics continued to fight throughout the matchup and ultimately forced Jamahl Mosley to reinsert his starters in a last-ditch comeback attempt.

“That was supposed to be it,” Windhorst added.”He didn't play the rest of the first half. Didn't start. The second half, the magic. Just believe they were going to win this game. And they actually were in, they actually could have gotten into the playoffs, into the sixth seed. It wasn't likely to happen, but technically it was on the table. They could have gotten as high as the sixth seed. And if they win this game against the Celtics, who are on one knee here, they at least get home court in the play-in. And then the Celtics showed why they have become the favorite in the Eastern Conference: throughout this season, Joe Mazzulla has put responsibility on role players and held them accountable, and they have accepted that accountability and played like they had big roles. To the point where they had to call Jalen Suggs back into the game in the fourth quarter. And they, after the game, had some explanation that maybe this was going to happen. No way. There's no way they thought he was ever going to have to play. Their game plan reflected it. Their mindset reflected it. And look, they ended up coming back on and in Boston at the end of the game… it was a huge embarrassment for Orlando to have them go down this way.”

Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!

It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.

Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!

For additional coverage, subscribe to our Full Court Magic Podcast!