The Orlando Magic began the 2017-18 NBA season as one of the most surprising teams in the league. However, they have since been mired in mediocrity for the last two months now after having slipped to the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

Unfortunately, their performance has somehow taken a drastic turn for the worse. According to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel, the Magic have not held a lead in a game since the first quarter of last week's matchup versus the Portland Trailblazers:

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Unsurprisingly, Orlando failed to capitalize on their slim lead after ultimately losing to the Blazers 95-88. Now it seems as if their current six-game losing streak might go a bit longer after falling behind big versus the New Orleans Pelicans.

While there are plenty of reasons for their lackluster performance as of late, their struggles have largely been attributed to the play of point guard Elfrid Payton. Although he has some triple-double potential, his inconsistent play has raised some serious questions regarding his status as their potential franchise point guard.

There has also been some speculation surrounding the future of head coach Frank Vogel. Even Vogel himself acknowledged prior to their slump that the Magic still had a long way to go before becoming a playoff contender in the East. However, their struggles are just now starting to be brought to the light.