The Orlando Magic have not been to the postseason since the 2011-12 season, sitting on the precipice following Saturday's win over the Indiana Pacers. They remain half a game behind the Miami Heat for both the No. 8 seed and the Southeast Division lead with five games to play on Orlando's schedule. Forward Aaron Gordon remains supremely confident in his squad, for a few reasons, via ESPN:
“We've got a lot of talent. We have faith in ourselves. That's the only thing you need. Obviously you want your coaching staff and fan base behind you, but when you have faith in yourself, that's all you need.”
Gordon is coming off an especially dominating performance Saturday, having collected 23 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and two steals in the team's 121-116 victory. The effort came at a crucial time, with the Magic needing every win they can as they jockey for playoff position with Miami.
It's the Magic's first season under new head coach Steve Clifford, who previously took the Charlotte Hornets to the postseason on two separate occasions. It's the fifth year in Orlando for Gordon, whom the team made the fourth overall selection in the 2014 NBA Draft. He has changed positions, roles and tinkered with his game, just to reach this point as he looks for his first taste of playoff basketball.
The Magic will need both their talent and faith in themselves over the final five games if they're to outlast the Heat. In a few weeks, they'll know if that was enough to snap a playoff drought.
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