TORONTO – If their tense, one-point heartbreaker of a loss wasn’t enough of an indicator, all the Orlando Magic had to do was look around the NBA on Friday night and see that the tenor of the action is dramatically different now than before the break for the NBA All-Star Game.
In Oklahoma City, the Thunder and Jazz needed two overtimes before Paul George sealed a 148-147 thriller with a game-winning shot. In Indiana, the Pacers had to overcome a 20-point deficit to capture a much-needed win. Charlotte and Detroit, two teams battling the Magic for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, wiped out early deficits to win close games.