Orlando Magic Third Quarter Review: Answering the big questions

The third quarter to the Orlando Magic’s season ends with the team changing identities (again) and still searching for consistency.

As the Orlando Magic reached the midpoint of the season, there was a sense of desperation. The team was slipping from the Playoff race and seeking to regain an identity the team had apparently lost from the first quarter.

The benefit of that moment was there was still time. Deficits could get made up and there was enough optimism to believe a turnaround could still happen.

Nearly a month and a half later, that hope is all but gone. The Magic passed the trade deadline and had to give up a key player in Serge Ibaka. The team is not giving up on its playoff dreams,…