Orlando Magic’s European Tour Reveals a Team Still Searching for Itself
The Orlando Magic’s overseas trip gave fans a taste of both the promise and the problems this young team carries into the second half of the season. At their best, they look like a group ready to make serious postseason noise. At their worst, they’re still figuring out who they are.
That duality was on full display during their two-game swing through Europe, capped by a 126-109 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in London. Just days earlier, the Magic had topped the same Grizzlies squad in Berlin, highlighted by a jaw-dropping go-ahead dunk from rookie Anthony Black, who soared through four defenders to throw it down with 2.5 minutes left. It was the kind of moment that makes you believe in the Magic’s upside - young, fearless, and explosive.
But that highlight also underscored the inconsistency that’s plagued this team all season. Because just as quickly as they rose, they stumbled. And Sunday’s loss was a harsh reminder that for all the flashes of brilliance, the Magic still haven’t found the steady identity they need to contend.
A Tale of Two Games - and One Frustrating Theme
The Magic were never in Sunday’s game. They fell behind by 17 after the first quarter and trailed by as many as 33 in the second. Whatever spark they found in Berlin didn’t make the trip to London.
This wasn’t just a bad shooting night or a game where the shots didn’t fall. It was a breakdown of the very thing the Magic are supposed to hang their hat on: defense.
Orlando’s defensive rating in the loss - 123.5 - marked the 13th time this season they’ve allowed more than 120 points per 100 possessions. To put that in perspective, they only had eight such games all of last year. That’s a troubling trend, especially for a team that’s built its identity on physical, connected defense.
Head coach Jamahl Mosley didn’t mince words after the game. “We didn’t start out the right way,” he said.
“The lead got so far ahead we couldn’t crawl our way back. Our sense of urgency to start the game - they hit some shots, they come out strong and fast.
We have to understand how we’ve got to come out with that sense of urgency.”
The Grizzlies hit six of their 13 threes in the first quarter alone, and the Magic never recovered. Unlike Thursday’s win, where a dominant third-quarter defensive effort flipped the game, there was no such response this time.
No rally. No lockdown stretch.
Just a team overwhelmed from the tip and unable to get back on track.
Defensive Identity in Question
The Magic’s defense has been their calling card - the thing that allowed them to punch above their weight last season and surge into playoff contention. But that foundation has been shaky of late.
Since Franz Wagner went down with an injury on December 7, the Magic are 9-9. During that stretch, they’ve posted a 112.5 offensive rating and a 116.1 defensive rating - the latter ranking just 20th in the league over that span. That drop-off on the defensive end has been glaring, and it’s made it tough for Orlando to string wins together.
Thursday’s win in Berlin was the team’s first back-to-back victory since December 1. That’s nearly seven weeks without a win streak - a stretch that now spans almost a quarter of the season. For a team hoping to make a leap, that kind of inconsistency can’t continue.
Searching for Consistency, Searching for Themselves
This isn’t about effort or chemistry. The players believe in each other.
Paolo Banchero said as much after the London loss: “I think we’re together in terms of the guys in the locker room. I think we all trust each other and have each other’s back.”
But belief alone isn’t enough. The Magic need to find something they can rely on - a consistent identity that shows up night after night. Right now, the only thing they can count on is unpredictability.
Health could be part of the equation. Getting Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs back could help reestablish defensive structure and rhythm.
But even with injuries, the Magic have enough talent to compete. They’ve shown that.
What they haven’t shown is the ability to sustain it.
One night, Anthony Black is flying through the lane for a game-changing dunk. The next, he’s bumping into a referee on a fast break and coughing up the ball. That’s not a knock on the rookie - it’s just emblematic of where this team is right now.
The Road Ahead
The Magic aren’t far off. They’re still in the thick of the playoff race, and the season is far from over. But if they want to be more than just a fun young team with potential, they need to start stacking performances - not just moments.
They’ve got the talent. They’ve got the coach.
What they need now is a consistent identity - one built around defense, effort, and execution. Until that shows up on a nightly basis, the Magic will remain a team of glimpses and flashes, not yet the force they believe they can be.
The clock isn’t ticking just yet. But it’s getting louder.