The 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend is officially in the books, which means the regular season is entering its final chapters. Organizations such as the Orlando Magic are competing for the final spots in the playoffs, so things could get interesting in the next few months.
The Magic is currently 24-35 and No. 13 in the Eastern Conference. As of now, Orlando is four games behind the No. 10 Toronto Raptors, the last team in the Play-In Tournament zone.
While there is a long road ahead, the Magic has a real shot at making it to the postseason for the first time since 2019-20 when it fell to the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. For that to happen, it has to close out the regular season strong, especially against East foes.
With that being said, here are three bold predictions for the Orlando Magic following the 2023 NBA All-Star break.
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3. Jonathan Isaac shows flashes of his best form
If there was something that caused problems for the Magic this past few years was Jonathan Isaac's injury. The forward suffered a torn ACL in the 2020 NBA Bubble and had multiple setbacks in his recovery process. He ended up missing the entire 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons before returning to play in January.
In 10 games this season, Isaac is averaging 4.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 10.8 minutes a night. He is shooting 38.3% from the field, 33.3% from beyond the arc, and 55.6% from the free-throw line. Known for his defensive skills, he is recording 1.2 steals and 0.3 blocks.
Although he is still transitioning back to the NBA, Isaac is having his moments. In his per-36-minute averages, the forward would be having the best season of his career.
The bold prediction is that Isaac will gain more time on the court since Orlando and Terrence Ross recently agreed on a buyout. The former Florida State Seminole will show flashes of his best form throughout the final months of the season, giving hope to the franchise that he could still be an important part of its future.
2. Paolo Banchero continues his impressive year, wins Rookie of the Year unanimously
While the Magic is still in its rebuilding phase, it is revealing some bright spots. Most notably, No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero is having an impressive rookie campaign, which gave him even some buzz for the All-Star Game.
So far, the Duke product is putting up 19.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists plus 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks a night. He is making 41.9% of his field goals, 28.1% of his 3-point attempts and 75.3% of his free throws. He is leading the rookie class in multiple categories, including points per game and total points.
Because of that, Banchero has been at the top of the rookie standings for most of the season. He missed seven consecutive games in November, which allowed Bennedict Mathurin of the Indiana Pacers to get closer. However, once he returned, Banchero picked up where he left off. He has yet to miss a game since then and has had multiple 30-point performances.
All things considered, the bold prediction is that Banchero will continue having a big year. Most importantly, he could win Rookie of the Year unanimously, joining players such as Hall-of-Famers Ralph Sampson and David Robinson plus current NBA players Blake Griffin, Damian Lillard and Karl-Anthony Towns.
1. Orlando has its moments but falls short of the Play-In Tournament
At the end of the day, Orlando still has the chance of qualifying for the postseason. Although few predicted this could happen, the Magic is still alive in the playoff battle.
According to Tankathon, Orlando's remaining schedule ranks No. 17 in terms of difficulty. The problem is that the schedules from other Eastern teams are considered easier than the Magic's. The Washington Wizards are No. 18, the Chicago Bulls are No. 19 and the Indiana Pacers find themselves at No. 23.
The three of them are ahead of Orlando by no more than 4.5 games. This means that a hot or cold streak could seriously impact the standings. However, since the Magic have the toughest remaining schedule among them, things should not be easy in Florida.
Orlando still has the Milwaukee Bucks (twice) plus the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Memphis Grizzlies on the road. Additionally, it has head-to-head contests versus the Pacers and the Wizards.
The bold prediction is that the Magic will have its moments, including some upsets on those road games. However, the team will ultimately fall short of the Play-In Tournament. Still, the final stretch of the season should show some promise that the Magic could be competing for the playoffs in a near future.
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