Magic first team to clinch division without winning record since NBA-ABA merger

The Orlando Magic just made history but not necessarily the great kind. But not terrible, either.

As relayed by NBA reporter Dan Feldman, the Magic on Sunday became the first team to win their division without a winning record since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976-77. 

In fact, the last time it happened was the season before that, when the Milwaukee Bucks won the old Midwest Division (then of the Western Conference), at 38-44. They barely edged out the Detroit Pistons, who placed second at 36-46.

It didn’t do the Bucks much good, though. They lost to the Pistons in the first round of the playoffs.

Anyway, back to the here and now, Orlando and the Southwest Division. For the record, the Magic survived multiple injuries to their best players — Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs, for starters — to finish the season at 41-41.

That was good enough to earn them the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference standings and a home play-in game against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday. Should the Magic win, they’ll get the defending champion Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.

If they lose, they’ll still get a shot at the No. 8 seed, but will have to beat the winner of the 9-10 game between the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat.

As for the rest of the Southwest … yeah, not great. The Hawks (40-42) finished second, followed by the Heat (37-45), Charlotte Hornets (19-63), and Washington Wizards (18-64), respectively.

On the bright side, that was only the Magic’s regular-season record. Just like everyone else, they’re now 0-0.

“[I’m] extremely proud of this group,” coach Jamahl Mosley said, via Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. “Just being able to endure through all the things — the injuries, the bump back, guys in, guys out — and still come away getting the division and giving yourself a chance at a secured seventh [seed] for the opportunity to get into the playoffs.

“I’m proud of our group for that, for being as tough as they are, resilient as they are, to continue to push through no matter the circumstance.”