2 weeks Ago By Andrei De Guzman, NBA Analysis Network
The Orlando Magic are standing right against an impossible task of beating one of the league’s best, and they appear miserable already as the battle has just began. Despite tons of injury crisis across their group all season long, the Orlando Magic still persevered and grinded their way back to competitive relevance. Concluding the regular season as the No.
7 team in the Eastern Conference ladder, they easily stamped their ticket to the 2025 NBA Playoffs by dismantling the Atlanta Hawks in the Play-In Tournament . But in their entry to the postseason stage, what awaited them has been a major obstacle to conquer with, drawing the No. 2 Boston Celtics for their first-round matchup.
Draymond Green urges Orlando Magic star to step up Despite how daunting it might be, the Magic wholeheartedly embraced the challenge of battling the reigning champs to commence their playoffs. Even franchise star Paolo Banchero expressed excitement in going head-to-head against Jayson Tatum. But right at their series opener, the Magic instantly endured a huge slap in the face as they got steamrolled by the Celtics, suffering from a brutal 103-86 loss within the TD Garden.
Banchero stepped up as the team’s first option, finishing with a strong 36-point, 11-board performance. Meanwhile, Franz Wagner poured 23 points and five assists, earning the intrigue of former NBA big man Channing Frye. But the supporting cast behind them was completely nonexistent.
No other Magic player scored double digits as it was just Jonathan Isaac who tallied an awful 7 points for Orlando’s third best scoring performance. The Magic’s collective offense outside Banchero and Wagner is beyond horrendous, and Draymond Green called out Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to elevate his game necessarily in order to help the two Magic stars. “KCP is going to have to step up, he is the one with the championship experience, we going to need to see KCP step up,” the Golden State Warriors star said on his The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis.
“This has kind of been the problem with the Magic, they need a little more. Who else is going to do it? They are playing a juggernaut, this could be a sweep.” Baron Davis demands several other Magic players to be No.
3 behind Banchero, Wagner The Magic’s prized offseason acquisition from last year, Caldwell-Pope joined Orlando after two productive seasons in the Denver Nuggets, serving as an integral piece to the franchise’s 2023 NBA championship victory. Inking a three-year deal worth $66MM, the expectations were high for the veteran as he entered the Magic. But this season, he is relatively disappointing with a 2024-25 averages of 8.
7 points in 43.9 percent shooting in 77 games played. As Jalen Suggs remains out indefinitely upon undergoing a season-ending knee surgery last month, the Magic desperately needs a reliable third option.
And for Baron Davis, it’s up for the rest of Orlando’s key players to seize that role in matching Boston for the rest of the series. “Cole Anthony, [Anthony] Black these guys have got to step up one of these guys has got to take the challenge, be that third person,” Davis argued. The Magic must be convinced that they didn’t make it this far just to fold right away against against the Celtics.
In the end, they have to do whatever it takes to make it a compelling series and make the most out of their chances to pull an upset regardless of how slim it might be. Game 2 is set between both teams on April 23. It’s up to the Magic if they’ll keep the fight or let the Celtics easily ace the seven-game duel already.
This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission..
