When the Orlando Magic traded Steve Francis to the New York Knicks before the trade deadline, it looked like the team was telling its fans to wait until at least next year to see some good basketball. Apparently, the players got impatient.
Although the Magic are just a few games away from being eliminated from the Eastern Conference Playoffs, the players have not given up, winning eight of their last nine games.
On Monday night, the Magic matched a season-high five-game win streak by coasting past the Atlanta Hawks for a 105-88 win. Dwight Howard recorded his 56th double-double of the year, putting up 20 points and 16 rebounds and adding a career-high six assists. Hedo Turkoglu went 4-for-5 from beyond the arc as Orlando made 46.2 percent of its long balls and 52.5 percent of its floor shots to sail past the Hawks.
Suddenly, the Magic trailed the Philadelphia 76ers by just three games with five to play. Although the Magic would have to pull off an astounding finish by leap-frogging the 76ers and the Chicago Bulls, it would be no more improbable than the team's sudden revival.
After winning its first game in the post-Steve Francis era by a 102-89 score over the Seattle Super Sonics on Feb. 24, the Magic conformed more closely to expectations, losing six in a row to drop to a season-worst 20 games under .500. At that point, the Magic looked closer to a No. 1 lottery pick in the draft than a spot in the playoffs.
Things appeared to turn around when the Magic then won four out of their next five, including a 102-73 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, which was followed by a 103-92 win over the Golden State Warriors. Once again though, the Magic appeared to be ready to mail it in when they followed up the brief stretch of good play by dropping games to the Hawks and Charlotte Bobcats.
With three weeks of unpredictable and mediocre play behind them, the Magic launched their improbable charge to playoff contention. The run started with an easy home victory over the hapless New York Knicks, but road wins over Philadelphia and Chicago, two teams fighting for their playoff lives, bolstered Orlando's comeback cache.
After a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Magic pulled off a stunning 108-99 upset of the Dallas Mavericks. They followed that one up with a win over the streaking Milwaukee Bucks and then beat the best team in basketball with an 89-87 win over the Detroit Pistons.
The Magic trailed 87-85 with under a minute left, but Jameer Nelson stroked a jumper to tie it. After Chauncey Billups missed a jumper, Nelson sunk a fadeaway to give the Magic the lead. When the Pistons missed two free throws at the other end, the Magic emerged with the huge upset.
Things did not get much easier for the Magic two days later when they traveled to play the next-best team in the conference, the Miami Heat. Once again Nelson was the hero as Orlando knocked off another giant, leading the way with 26 points. The game was not as close as the final nine-point margin would suggest, as the Magic had a comfortable lead most of the way.
With the improbable run of upsets, the Magic can smell the playoffs. Although it seems unlikely that they can jump two teams and three games with only five left to play, the Magic are aided by the fact that they get a chance to plays the Bulls and Sixers one time each. The rest of Orlando's season rests on these games, as a loss in either would virtually guarantee elimination.
The Magic also have the challenge of a road game against the San Antonio Spurs on Apr. 13, a chance to continue their surprising play and solidify their reputation.
If the team fails to make the playoffs, the run is still promising for next year. Nelson looks like a decent outside compliment to Howard's inside play, which turns in over 12 rebounds a game this year, and Turkoglu is coming along as a scorer on the wing.
