Never ask Orlando Magic coach Steve Clifford about stretches of the schedule or anything beyond the game in front of him. He is not one to get into the famed fan discussions about soft spots in the schedule or expectations.
Clifford is a granular guy. Hand him his list of players available and he will work to make that group as successful as they can be. He does not worry about who he does not have.
That is why he was most disappointed after Monday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons. It was not so much the team lost but that the team seemed to abandon the way it needs to play even to have a chance.