The Magic hit a nerve after Thursday’s ugly home loss to the Hornets, falling 124-97 to a team they entered the night eight games ahead of in the standings.
Yes, Orlando was shorthanded without Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs. But the frustration afterward went deeper than injuries.
“There’s no true identity to our team right now,” Desmond Bane said, via Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. “It’s hard to win consistently when you don’t have a calling card.”
That cuts to the core of it. Since a three-game win streak ended in early December, the Magic are 10-12 and have not been able to string together real momentum. The consistency just has not been there.
This is a team that built its reputation on defense, finishing last season with the second-best defensive rating in the league behind the eventual champion Thunder. This year, Orlando has slipped to 13th on that end. The offense has not picked up the slack either, ranking 19th overall.
Moritz Wagner framed it as more than X’s and O’s.
“They’re connected,” Wagner said of offense and defense. “When you look at the swag, the energy, the spirit, it just feels not up to par to our standard.”
In short, the Magic are searching for an identity. Until they find it, the swings in performance are likely to continue.
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