NBA Rumors: 3 NBA Teams whose stock is trending upward, 3 to sell hard on
Orlando Magic: Trending upward
When it comes to the Orlando Magic, I have to be completely honest. Even after the strides that the team made last season, nearly upsetting the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, I didn't know exactly what to expect from the Magic this season. I didn't think this team was going to take another huge step forward but through the first 20ish games of the season, I do stand here corrected. The Magic may be 13-7 but there is some context that needs to be noted in order to understand just how good this team has been this season.
The Magic is 13-7 and third in the East standings. What's most impressive about this team is that they've managed to get to this point without Paolo Banchero in the lineup for the majority of the season. Banchero has missed the team's last 15 games due to an injury. After losing the first four games with Banchero out because of the injury, the Magic have gone 10-1. What we've learned in the last 15 games that the Magic have had to play without Banchero is that this team is more than just a one-man squad.
Banchero is a great player and he was off to a great start to this season but the fact that the Magic have proven that they are more than just a one-star team should make you even more excited about this team's possibilities for the rest of the season. And on cue, Banchero has to be close to a return. It was originally announced that he would miss 4-6 weeks. It's already been four weeks and he's likely inching closer and closer to his return to the floor.
For a team that is already playing high-quality basketball over the last few weeks, adding a superstar to this fire could truly boost this team. Whether people are willing to believe it or not, the Magic are currently playing like a top-4 team in the Eastern Conference. You'd expect the New York Knicks to play more consistently down the stretch but if they don't get their act together, don't be shocked if it's a team like the Magic that ends up stealing the third seed in the East behind the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics. Buy the Magic. They're for real.