Shockingly Optimistic Record Prediction for Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic schedule is finally released, and there’s a lot to take away, including what the Magic’s record may be.

It’s simple: if the Magic are holding the internal expectation of being NBA champions, they need to have a record that reflects that under new head coach Sean Sweeney.

To be the best, you’ve got to beat the best, and there aren’t any more excuses because of injuries. Now it’s time to exceed expectations and execute for stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

On the Full Court Magic Podcast, I reacted to the schedule release with my partner and co-host, Don Strouble. Here is my optimistic record prediction.

 "I'm going to go—I do think this team can be better under Sean Sweeney. I think you're going to see, even if it's not dramatic playoff improvement, Don, I do think you're going to see a bit more regular-season consistency. I think that's going to pay dividends. I'm not going to say too dramatic of an improvement; I do think this is a very similar Magic team from last year. 

Don, I think I'll go four wins better from last year. Let's go 49 and 33. When I mention 49 and 33, I think that's good enough to at least be sixth in the Eastern Conference. While I say health is important, it's really about the offensive consistency. We know that this team can perform on defense. But how are Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner going to work?

 I've always said if this Magic team is going to win, it's not going to be because Paolo Banchero is a true alpha and Franz Wagner is behind him. No, it's going to be like the Boston Celtics did when they won their championship: Jayson Tatum 1A, Jaylen Brown 1B. The Magic need to have that kind of concept going."

"If the Magic have the internal expectation and the standards that they can make a deep run into the playoffs—we're talking about what Paolo Banchero said, the standard that Sean Sweeney wants to have, the standard of Jeff Weltman—these are six teams that they need to beat in the regular season, and they all have an opportunity to here. 

If the Magic want to be a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference, they need to beat the teams that they're being bunched in with right now. I would put the Magic right now on the same tier as Charlotte, the Magic on the same tier as an Atlanta team that is getting really scary. 

This is a Magic team that wants to be up with the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks of the Eastern Conference. You got to beat the teams in the tier below to prove that you are better than those teams."