MILWAUKEE -- The Orlando Magic won't be going to Las Vegas. Their NBA Cup journey came to an end in the quarterfinals on Tuesday night with a 114-109 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. In defeat, though, they showed everyone -- themselves, the Bucks, the general NBA-watching public -- that they will be a problem when the real tournament, the NBA postseason, begins this spring.
"We want them to understand what they just did, just from an effort category, from going toe-to-toe with two Hall of Famers and a very experienced basketball team," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. "I can't be more proud of their effort, their energy, their sticking together throughout the runs within the game that shows continued growth for this team. And understanding how good we can continue to be."
Fresh off their first playoff appearance since 2020, the Magic's 2024-25 season got off to a frustrating start when star forward Paolo Banchero tore his right oblique just days after putting up a career-high 50 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists in a win over the Indiana Pacers. Without him, and facing a difficult schedule, they skidded to a 3-6 start.
Then, Franz Wagner put the team on his back. The former lottery pick answered every question that was asked about him in the wake of his poor showing in the playoffs. He had 37 points and a game-winning 3-pointer against the Los Angeles Lakers and surged to the forefront of Most Improved Player discussions as he led the Magic on a 12-1 surge. And then, in a cruel twist of fate, he tore his own right oblique on Dec. 6.
There's still no definitive timeline for Banchero's return, and Wagner is out indefinitely. But if anyone thought the Magic were going to fade away in their stars' absence, think again. In two games without Banchero and Wagner, they've beaten the Phoenix Suns and taken the Bucks to the wire.
"Jamahl sticks out, just what he's done. He's done a better job than everybody in the league to this point, especially when you factor in the injuries," Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. "Their length, their size, they're very aggressive, they're strong, they play hard and they play connected defense. You can see it, they're really connected on defense. They don't take any plays off. That's why they win games when guys are out. They play the same way defensively, and if you're not ready to deal with that, you're gonna lose."
The Bucks nearly learned that lesson on Tuesday. On the very first possession, Jalen Suggs snuck into the paint to smack the ball away from Giannis Antetokounmpo. The next time down, he arrived from the baseline for a block on the two-time MVP. That set the tone for a tough, physical contest that tested the Bucks from start to finish. The Bucks only spent a few minutes leading by more than five points, and needed some late-game heroics from Damian Lillard to pull out the win.
"For me as a competitor, I enjoy the competition part of it," Lillard said of the Magic's style. "It forces you to have to be a little bit sharper, it forces you to have to be more engaged. Any little bit of slippage or lack of embracing what they bring is gonna end up hurting your team."
The Magic may not have the shot-making they need right now without Banchero or Wagner, but their hard-nosed, defensive-minded approach never wavers. Their 106.1 defensive rating ranks third in the league, as does their opponent turnover percentage of 17.6%. They're second in defensive rebound rate (73.4%), second in blocks per game (6.7), third in steals (12.1) and fourth in deflections (18.1).
For a team that doesn't get much national attention -- the Magic ranked 20th out of 30 teams with just five national TV games coming into the season -- Tuesday night's marquee NBA Cup matchup on TNT was an unexpected chance to show the world what they're all about.
"We feel like we got some of the best talent in the league, some of the most depth," Magic guard Anthony Black said. "Definitely always good playing in front of some eyes, that way our guys are getting the credit they deserve."
Even after Tuesday's defeat, which counted as a regular-season game, the Magic remain in third place in the Eastern Conference at 17-10. Where they will be when Banchero and Wagner return to the lineup remains to be seen, but it's clear this is a playoff team.
Once that time comes, whether they're healthy or not, no team is going to want to line up across from the Magic.
"They're tough, they play hard, they play physical, they crash the offensive glass, they do things together and they're well-coached," Lillard said. "We knew coming in that this was gonna be a tough game regardless of who was out there because of that.
"You just gotta give them their respect."