Recent wins mask defensive struggles and complacency. The Magic must reignite their identity to climb back into contention.
After losing four straight, the Orlando Magic have bounced back with consecutive wins over the Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards. At 3-4 through seven games, the Magic haven’t met expectations and have struggled against top Eastern Conference teams. Now, they’re aiming to rebound and climb back to .500. While some things have gone right, a steep drop in the latest power rankings shows plenty still needs fixing.
In Bleacher Report’s latest power rankings, the Magic dropped sharply from No. 8 to No. 17. The slide reflects their four-game losing streak, defensive struggles, and the fact that two recent wins came against weaker Eastern Conference teams.
“The Orlando Magic got a desperately needed road win and avoided a five-game losing streak on Thursday,” Bleacher Report wrote. “But they've rarely looked like the defense that finished second on that end last season. That may have something to do with sporadic absences for Jonathan Isaac and Jalen Suggs, but Orlando's defensive identity survived several injuries in 2024-25.”
It’s been an underwhelming start for the Magic, who entered the season with high expectations. After an impressive opening win against the Miami Heat, things quickly took a downturn, but the pressure was always part of the deal. The main concern has been effort and complacency. Too often, the Magic have looked disengaged defensively and settled for poor shots on offense, even with three elite scorers capable of carrying the load.
“More than anything,” the article added. “It feels like the effort level on that end needs to bounce back to last season's standard. And if Thursday's win over the Charlotte Hornets is any indication, there's certainly a chance that can happen. The Magic still rank in the bottom third of the league in points allowed per 100 possessions, but they only gave up 107 to the Hornets.”
The Magic may just be battling through an early-season slump, but they’ll need to lean on their depth and rediscover their defensive identity instead of relying solely on Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner to carry the load. Role players like Tyus Jones, Anthony Black, and Tristan da Silva must continue developing if Orlando hopes to stay in the playoff picture this season.
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