That is how the Magic saw a 24-point lead dwindle into the fourth and the Pistons zoom ahead to force Game 7.<\/p>\n
As Orlando has begun picking up the pieces from this series, that was the most immediate thought following the Game 7 loss<\/a>.<\/p>\n “I mean, we were up by 20 in Game 6,” Anthony Black said in the locker room after Game 7. “We just didn’t close the series. Franz being out obviously hurt us also. His offense and defense on Cade were obviously missed. We feel like we had enough to win, that’s why it’s frustrating.”<\/p>\n Black said the Game 6 defeat will stick with the team throughout its offseason. President of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said Monday when he addressed the media that the team was still a bit shell-shocked from the series.<\/p>\n It was not just the Game 6 loss as blaring as those alarms were. There were plenty of other reasons why the Magic lost that series. <\/p>\n And they are sitting and thinking about those reasons as they prepare for their offseason.<\/p>\n Weltman painted that sort of measured response to the defeat. The team being up 3-1 with their full roster was a sign of positivity<\/a>. Orlando proved it was good enough to compete. It just could not put all the pieces together.<\/p>\n And so the team is carefully examining why it lost and how it can improve.<\/p>\n But several long-term issues reared their heads in the series. And Orlando will need to solve those problems heading into next season.<\/p>\n Offensive problems remain<\/p>\n The biggest issue for the Orlando Magic remained their anemic offense.<\/p>\n The team had nominal improvements this season, scoring 114.2 points per 100 possessions and finishing 18th in the league. That was their best finish since Dwight Howard’s last season in 2012. But that was hardly anything to celebrate.<\/p>\n Going up against one of the best defenses in the league in their first-round series, the Magic were still not a strong offensive unit. <\/p>\n They posted the worst offensive rating of the first round at 101.9 points per 100 possessions. It was at 102.3 points per 100 possessions through the first four games in the series.<\/p>\n The surprising part of Game 6 was the depth of the issues, not that it happened. Orlando had long scoring droughts throughout the season. Offense remained a constant struggle and source of frustration all season.<\/p>\n That loss in Game 6 stung and just highlighted where this team continues to fall short.<\/p>\n “Game 6. Had the game and couldn’t find buckets in the second half,” Jalen Suggs said outside the locker room after Game 7. “Had a couple of good looks that would have been huge to make. I think consistently offensively being able to score, not only to get buckets but to stop runs and help our defense.”<\/p>\n Suggs especially struggled in that department. He averaged 11.1 points per game but shot just 24.1 percent from three. He was 3 for 15 from three and 7 for 28 in the final three games of the series. <\/p>\n
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