Orlando Magic Shift Focus After NBA Cup Exit, Eye Road Test vs. Denver
It’s been a tough stretch for the Orlando Magic. Their NBA Cup dreams were cut short in Las Vegas, and to make matters worse, they’re currently navigating the absence of one of their most important players. But if there’s a theme coming out of the Magic locker room this week, it’s this: reset, refocus, and “win the day.”
Franz Wagner, the team’s versatile forward and one of Orlando’s most consistent two-way players, is still sidelined with a high ankle sprain he suffered against the Knicks just over a week ago. Recovery is moving slowly - as expected with this type of injury - and for now, Wagner’s activity is limited to form shooting while seated. No running, no cutting, no on-court work yet.
“Nothing on court obviously,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said after Tuesday’s practice. “He's just, you know, sitting down and working on form shooting. That's about it.”
Wagner’s absence was felt in the semifinal matchup against the Knicks - a high-scoring affair that ended in a 132-120 loss for Orlando. Despite a strong quarterfinal win over the Heat that showed the Magic could rise to the occasion, they couldn’t keep pace with New York’s firepower without Wagner’s presence on both ends of the floor.
To make matters worse, Jalen Suggs exited that same semifinal with a left hip contusion. Losing two key rotation players in a game that already had high stakes was a gut punch for a team that had built real momentum during the tournament. But Mosley isn’t letting his team dwell on what could have been.
“The Cup is over with; not going to Denver just yet,” Mosley said, emphasizing the team’s mindset. “Today, we have to win today, and I think we did that.”
That phrase - win the day - has become something of a rallying cry for this young Magic squad. It’s about staying present, taking lessons from the Cup run, and applying them to the grind of the regular season. And according to Mosley, the team’s energy hasn’t dipped in the wake of the disappointment.
“Competitive nature was there,” he said of Tuesday’s practice. “That’s all the focus was today.
Win the day and how do we learn from the experience of being in the Cup - what it's like being on that stage, in that spotlight. How we have to get our defense in the right space no matter where we are.”
That spotlight experience matters. For a team still carving out its identity in the Eastern Conference, getting a taste of high-pressure basketball in December could pay dividends down the line. The Magic are learning what it takes to compete at a high level - and more importantly, how to respond when things don’t go their way.
Now, the road gets tougher - literally. Orlando is heading out West for a four-game road trip that starts in Denver against the defending NBA champions. The Nuggets, currently second in the Western Conference at 19-6, are playing elite basketball once again, and Nikola Jokić is, well, being Nikola Jokić - orchestrating the offense, controlling the tempo, and making it all look effortless.
“I mean, they are playing at such a high clip right now,” Mosley said. “The way they're reading and feeling off each other - you know, Joker's playing at one of the highest levels, as he always is.”
To hang with a team like Denver, the Magic know they’ll need to be locked in from the opening tip. That means communication on defense, disrupting early actions, and sticking to the game plan - no freelancing, no mental lapses.
“You have to communicate. You have to be disruptive early,” Mosley said. “But you’ve got to stick to the game plan, because any sidestep with them, they're going to make you pay.”
The Magic have been one of the league’s better defensive teams this season, and that identity will be tested on this road swing. Wagner’s timeline remains uncertain, and Suggs’ status will be something to monitor closely. But Orlando’s young core has shown resilience before - and if they can channel the lessons from their Cup run, this next stretch could be a proving ground.
The NBA Cup may be in the rearview mirror, but for the Magic, the season is far from over. The next challenge is here - and it starts in the Mile High City.