One clear change the Magic must make in second half of the season

The first half of Orlando’s season has been rocky at best, despite a winning record. How does the team turn things around on the back nine?

Jan 22, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) looks on against the Charlotte Hornets in the second quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

This Magic team is dealing with missing identity crisis.

After back to back seasons ranking top two in defense, Orlando loses at home to Charlotte while trailing 30 points most of the game, leaving the team smack dab in the league with a 15th-rated defense, a drastic fall from the two seasons prior.

Why has Orlando’s defensive culture changed overnight?

Where did the heart and hustle go?

What can the team do about it to patch things up going forward?

I asked Jamahl Mosley what he wants to see from the Magic in 2nd half of season that’s been missing in 1st half:

“Guard consistently.

Sit down and play defense with a sense of urgency.

Take it personally when you get scored on…

The pride in our defense.” pic.twitter.com/bvtSH0J6wH

— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) January 23, 2026

Jamahl Mosley wants his team to take pride in getting stops again

Jan 7, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley coaches against the Brooklyn Nets during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

From the moment Jamal Mosley arrived in Orlando, he initiated the Magic standard.

Between bringing the hustle bell to the first practice, preaching the clear and concise phrases that have now become routine messages, along with forming the gameplan behind the scenes, everything Jamahl Mosley has done to construct an elite defense on the court has been working.

That is, until now; what’s changed?

The injuries are the obvious answer that definitely play a primary factor.

Missing your all defense-caliber starters on the perimeter between Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner is no easy task to overcome.

Losing the veteran defenders of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Gary Harris while bringing in Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones doesn't exactly elevate the defensive levels either, no matter the trade-offs offensively.

There have been moments, and even extended stretches of play, where the defense looks as intense as before, where Orlando is flying around, bringing their recognizable energy, diving on loose balls for turnovers, and running fast and hard off them.

But these hustle plays and energetic games are coming too few and far between.

The consistent effort has simply not been there on a night-to-night basis.

For a team that has built a reputation of never giving up until the bitter end, it's starting to feel like that notion isn't as present with the current squad; this team's energy and effort has changed.

I asked Orlando Magic Head Coach Jamal Mosley what he wants to see from his team in the second half of this season that hasn’t been there in the first half to help with overall consistency.

Coach Mosley says it all starts with taking pride on defense again, a staple of The Magic Standard:

Guard consistently.

Sit down and play defense with a sense of urgency.

Take it personally when you get scored on.

When teams can not walk in here and get downhill and dance on the sideline when they make a big three or blow by you and they get a big dunk because you didn’t sprint back in transition.

Those are the things I want to see — the pride in our defense.”

Jamahl Mosley