With Ross now part of the team, It feels in some ways like the Magic are a new team. So much so that it feels like the All-Star Break is now the beginning of a new season.
Even though they are fading out of the playoff race -- 6 1/2 games out with 24 to play -- the Magic are not about to pack it in. Thursday's game against the visiting Portland Trail Blazers is the start of a new "mini-season" for Orlando, one in which the team begins resetting its culture and preparing for a Playoff push in 2018.
"Right now, we're 0-0," coach Frank Vogel said. "We're not going to focus on the standings and how many games we've got to make up or anything like that. We're going to focus on bringing maximum effort to practice and maximum focus into the game planning and preparations and all the little habits that our young players need to develop."
John Denton
.@OrlandoMagic coach FVogel to wait til tonight to announce whether G/F Terrence Ross will start vs. @trailblazers. Tonight is his ORL debut
John Denton
.@OrlandoMagic PG CJ Watson (Achilles tendon strain) is OUT tonight vs. @trailblazers. Elfrid Payton likely to start vs @Dame_Lillard.
Orlando Magic Daily
I can report Mario Hezonja and Evan Fournier have stolen candy from Elfrid Payton’s birthday box, Payton said.
