ORLANDO – While there was plenty of excitement surrounding the series of events that vaulted the surging Orlando Magic into prime playoff position, that joy was tempered a bit by the realization that it could all disappear with one slipup.
When the Magic (39-40) defeated the New York Knicks on Wednesday and Detroit (39-39), Brooklyn (39-40) and Miami (38-40) lost, it allowed them to jump from ninth into a tie for seventh with the Nets. Also, Orlando pulled to within a half-game of the slumping Pistons for the No. 6 seed.
Orlando heads into tonight’s Amway Center finale against the rapidly improving Atlanta Hawks (29-50) knowing that much of the progress that it has made can disappear with a loss at an inopportune time.