Every year, the common refrain is the West Coast trip — that first long road trip for the Orlando Magic — will reveal the character of a team.
It is the first time the team is far from home, only able to rely on each other. The Western Conference typically provides more difficult competition that will truly test the team’s commitment to its principles and each other. And there is limited practice time in unfamiliar haunts (alumni gyms excluded) to prepare.
That first trip out West — which almost always takes place around the first week of December for the Magic — is that big test.