For Inconsistent Orlando Magic, Tanking Teams Can't Be Taken for Granted

The Orlando Magic are back in action against the Dallas Mavericks in another game the team should win on paper.

The Mavericks have lost five of their last seven games, which include defeats against rebuilding teams in the Sacramento Kings and the Memphis Grizzlies. The Mavs have been without Cooper Flagg, who is questionable to play against the Magic, but it's still a winnable game for Orlando.

Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley spoke about the importance of bringing the energy against lesser competition.

“You know, I think sometimes when things come too easily in games like this, you tend to take it for granted and I think we got a little loose, and I think it was that last four minutes of the second quarter. That’s when we saw the lull. And so, we talked about it at halftime – just don’t get bored with the simple things, and that’s what this game was about," Mosley said.

"Can you keep doing the simple things over and over again and not get bored with it? They were beating us on the glass, and the hustle stats and the hustle areas, and the guys took it personally in that half to be able to come out the right way.”

Magic Have to Beat Rebuilding Teams

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero dribbles the ball against Dallas Mavericks guard-forward Klay Thompson. | Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

The Magic don't have very many games left on their schedule against teams that won't be in the playoffs this season, so they need to take advantage of the matchups when they have them. A home game against the Mavs might be the easiest opportunity for the Magic to pull out a win for the rest of the season.

For a team like the Magic that is fighting to move up higher in the Eastern Conference standings, wins like this are extremely valuable at this point in the season. The Magic probably need to win about 15 of their final 22 games to feel fully secure with a top six spot and this game might be the chance for Orlando to move ahead.

This means the Magic have to respect the Mavs as they would a playoff opponent and they cannot underestimate what they are bringing to the table even though they are one of the worst teams in the league.

Tip-off between the Mavericks and Magic is scheduled for 7 PM ET inside the Kia Center. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.