Orlando Magic 'Expected' to Make Playoffs Heading Into the Season

The Orlando Magic finished last season 13th in the Eastern Conference ahead of only the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets. While the continued growth of Franz Wagner and the arrival of Paolo Banchero signaled good things to come, no one really expected the Magic to make serious noise this season.

Well, almost everyone. While diehard fans hoped that the Magic would end the rebuild soon, it looked like Jamahl Mosley had a multi-season project on his hands. The players, however, knew they could make a splash earlier than expected.

Against the Milwaukee Bucks late last week, the Magci clinched a playoff berth. They will match up against the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs.

"It means a lot," said Banchero after Orlando clinched a spot. "I think we all expected it. After last year, we felt like we were good enough to make that jump to this year. It was just a teamwide expectation, and we’re sitting here now. I think we’re all proud.”

While the Magic have a tough matchup ahead of them--Cleveland has split the season series with the Magic--there is no doubt that Orlando will, at the very least, put up quite the fight. Orlando has styled itself after the bruising teams that saw success in the 1990s and 2000s and is building a culture in Orlando.

It all starts with how the stars of the team buy into the culture Mosley is trying to establish. Wagner, Banchero, and Suggs have shown an excellent example for the rest of the team, who is excited to take on the underdog role.