Orlando Magic: 3 takeaways from Game 5 finale vs. Raptors

3. Orlando will always have Game 1

In their first playoff series in seven years, it didn’t take long for the Orlando Magic to notch their first postseason victory. Although the Raptors responded in kind with each passing contest to close it out in five games, Steve Clifford’s squad will always have that Game 1.

This fanbase will always have D.J. Augustin’s 25 points to Kyle Lowry’s goose egg. It’ll always have pulling off the unexpected road upset to further Toronto’s Game 1 woes. It’ll always have Augustin’s game-winning 3, even as reality kicked back in as soon as Game 2 tipped off.

Game 5 was an ugly culmination of that reversion to the mean. The Magic shot 9-for-34 from 3 (26.5 percent), their leading scorer had 15 points, Vucevic posted six points and seven boards on 3-of-10 shooting, and Gordon wasn’t much better with his 4-for-13 shooting night.

And sure, the Magic only led for a grand total of 5:28 for the rest of the series after Game 1. Yeah, they were outscored by 75 points in Games 2-5. But they’ll always have that thrilling playoff opener, which will hopefully be the first stepping stone to bigger and better things moving forward.