Magic get interesting power rankings spot after NBA Cup run

The Orlando Magic are heading home after losing to the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup semifinals.

It was a strong run for the Magic, but they wished to go further after their loss to the Knicks. Despite losing to New York, the Magic are still at No. 11 in NBA.com writer John Schuhmann's power rankings.

"The Magic earned a trip to Las Vegas with a comeback victory over the Heat on Tuesday, their third win (tied for the league lead) after trailing by at least 15 points. But they couldn’t keep up with the Knicks’ offense in the NBA Cup semifinals," Schuhmann wrote.

"The Magic will play nine of their next 12 games on the road, with a four-game trip beginning in Denver on Thursday. They’ve already played four games against the league’s second-ranked offense (that of the Knicks) and now they’ll face No. 1."

New York Knicks guard Josh Hart works around Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Magic stay outside top 10 in power rankings

The Magic sit behind the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder in Schuhmann's power rankings.

The team has been dealing with a number of injuries, including Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, and Jalen Suggs, but they have still managed to claim one of the top spots in the Eastern Conference. Players like Desmond Bane and Anthony Black have stepped up to the plate when the Magic have needed them.

The Magic will have to continue playing with their depth as they embark on a long road trip that spans nearly a week out to the west coast.

The road trip starts in the Mile High City when they face off against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. Then, the team heads over to Salt Lake City to face off against the Utah Jazz on Saturday.

The road trip concludes with a back-to-back against the Golden State Warriors on Monday and the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. All games can be watched on the FanDuel Sports Network or streamed on NBA League Pass outside of the central Florida area.

Magic stay outside top 10 in power rankings

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