Confidence drains as Magic head on challenging road trip

The Magic made franchise history Thursday night, but not in a fashion they would have liked.Orlandos 125-123 loss to the Bulls at Kia Center marked the first time the Magic ever have lost three consecutive games by two points or less.Jamahl Mosleys squad fell to 14-15 in clutch games (contests where the score is within five points with five or fewer minutes remaining) but 4-9 in those scenarios since Jalen Suggs season began to derail in early January due to injury (low back strain and left knee trochlea cartilage tear).The three straight single-digit losses are part of a longer stretch that has seen Orlando go 2-6 following the NBA All-Star break, fall to ninth in the East standings and 18-16 at home after it started the year 10-0 in Kia Center.Theyve already suffered four more home losses than last season with seven home contests still remaining.Some of it is late-game execution, but I dont know, most of these games we shouldnt even be in that spot, in my opinion, forward Franz Wagner told reporters in the locker room Thursday night.

Thats the bigger issue.Im not saying we deserve to be somewhere else, playing the way were playing, he later added.

Thats what gets you in these situations.

Weve got to clean that up, man up, and just individually and as group figure it out.Star teammate Paolo Banchero shared a similar sentiment.With the Magic (29-35) dropping three games in a row to teams below them in the standings (twice to No.

13 Toronto and once to No.

10 Chicago), the gap between No.

9 Orlando and lower teams is shrinking.Its the NBA, Banchero said.

Youre facing talented players every night.

To go into games, you cant just say, Oh, were more talented, because I dont think thats the case, honestly.

These teams are coming in with confidence, they see that weve lost games and so they feel like were beatable.Ive said it a few times: You cant say anything about last year, he added.

Its a different year.

Its almost the end of this season.

So were a different team.

Teams are seeing what are weaknesses are and theyre attacking it, and weve had trouble adjusting.

Weve taken some tough losses.Magic will induct Dwight Howard into franchises Hall of FameAnd as the losses have increased, the confidence in the locker room has gone the other direction.Its something that affects their level of play on both ends.Thursday night, Orlando fell to 15-34 when allowing 100-plus points, 5-20 when making nine-or-less 3-point baskets, 5-24 when being outrebounded by opponents, and 4-17 when opponents shoot 50% or better from the field.Its not very high right now, Banchero said when asked to describe the groups confidence.

We are struggling.

Weve lost a lot of games at home.

That was something last year we didnt do often.Confidence is low but weve got a huge road trip, he added.The 5-game trip starts Saturday at No.

4 Milwaukee, which is 8-2 in its last 10 games and on a 4-game win streak.

The Magic then head to Houston, New Orleans and Minnesota before wrapping up next Sunday at Cleveland.Other than the Pelicans game, all the contests are against teams in postseason contention.Weve got some great teams were playing against, so if we can grab one or two of those games early and then give ourselves a chance on the back half of the road trip, we can build some momentum, Banchero said.

But its going to take a huge turnaround.Despite Thursdays loss, Orlando entered Fridays slate still 3.5 games in front of the Bulls.

But the Magic were half-a-game back of No.

8 Atlanta (29-34), 1.5 games behind No.

7 Miami (29-32) and 6.5 back of the No.

6 Pistons (35-28).A loss to the Bucks would mark Orlandos first 6-game skid this season.The Magic are in the middle of their third streak with at least five losses as injuries to Suggs, Moe Wagner, brother Franz and Banchero, among other key rotational pieces, have plagued the year.A lot of this stuff has nothing to do with outside stuff, Wagner said of the Magics recent issues.

We control a lot of these things.

Its a good challenge as a group.

Theres two ways to go about these last couple of games of the season and weve got to make sure we choose the right one.Choosing the right way is easier said than done with just 18 contests left in the regular season.But the Magic know where to start.Thats the only way you can get confidence, is by getting Ws and get people feeling good around here, Banchero said.

Every time you lose, everyone takes it pretty hard and everyones frustrated; players, coaches, everybody.Weve just got to hope to get some wins on the road.

Its going to be tough but its not something we havent done.

Weve got to come together and hoop.Jason Beede can be reached at [email protected] next ...Magic at BucksWhen: 8, Saturday, Fiserv ForumTV: FanDuel Sports Network Florida.

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