The Magic found the formula for making the playoffs. For them, it was called desperation
The Orlando Magic found their winning formula. Facing elimination and clearly wanting no part of it, the Magic might have put together one of their best performances of the season Friday night. “When you play with a sense of desperation and urgency, when you know you’re either going home or extending your season, that’s what it looks like,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The Orlando Magic found their winning formula. Desperation works.
Works wonders, actually. Facing elimination and clearly wanting no part of it, the Magic might have put together one of their best performances of the season Friday night. They rolled past the Charlotte Hornets 121-90 in an Eastern Conference play-in game, moving into the playoffs for the third straight season and getting a matchup with top-seeded Detroit as their reward.
“When you play with a sense of desperation and urgency, when you know you’re either going home or extending your season, that’s what it looks like,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “There (are) no second chances. ” Mosley is the first coach to lead the Magic to three consecutive playoff appearances since Stan Van Gundy took Orlando there in five straight years.
Van Gundy was at Friday's game as an analyst for Amazon Prime Video. “I've got to be honest. Charlotte is shrinking from the competition,” Van Gundy said on the broadcast, as the Magic were running away in the second quarter — building what became a 35-point lead shortly before halftime.