NBA Power Rankings: Magic Slipping After Losing Streak?
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ORLANDO - After winning five straight games, the Orlando Magic have cooled off with losses against the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers.
It's the first time the Magic have lost consecutive games since late January, causing the team to slip from fourth place to fifth in the Eastern Conference standings.
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It also forced the team to fall back three spots in CBS Sports' power rankings. The team sits at No. 15 after landing at No. 12 last week.
"After beating up on the Hornets and Wizards, the Magic offense went arid, scoring just 74 points in a loss to the Knicks and 97 in a loss to Indiana -- which is like scoring 60 against a competent NBA defense," CBS Sports writes. "Franz Wagner averaged just 16 points for the week, while shooting 15% from 3-point range. That helps explain the drought."
Wagner and the rest of the team must get out of this slump if they want to fight for strong positioning in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. The team plays nine of its next 10 games at home, providing an opportunity to really make a mark heading into the final stretch of the regular season schedule.
The team returns to the court tomorrow night to host the Brooklyn Nets before heading north of the border on Friday to play the Toronto Raptors. The Magic and Raptors will then face off in a rematch back in Orlando on Sunday.
