It’s been a busy start to the year for the Orlando Magic. Since January 2nd, their first game on the 2022 calendar, they’ve played eight times in fourteen nights, including three sets of back-to-backs and just a pair of dates in their own home building. Did I mention that seven of the eight have come against sides who project to make the playoffs come season’s end? I probably should have. It’s been a tough run!
And yet, despite both the challenges of the schedule and the 1-7 record the Magic have compiled across these contests, the team has been surprisingly competitive, a marked improvement over the first couple of months of their campaign.