Orlando Magic: Top 10 moments of the 2018-19 NBA season

1. Clinching a playoff spot in Boston

Before being brought back down to earth by the Raptors, there was that perfect six-day window that existed between making the playoffs and Game 1 tipping off. This was achieved with a road win against the Boston Celtics, which meant that it didn’t matter what way other results around the league went. The Magic were in.

So much about that 116-108 victory is memorable, from beating a better team on the road to doing so with excellent defensive play and a 26-point offensive outburst from Terrence Ross off the bench, which included five made 3-pointers. It was after the game, however, that feeling of relief at having gotten the monkey off their backs, that was worth cherishing.

Vucevic and Fournier, two players who had seen most of the rebuild, spoke with some emotion about having made it to the playoffs. Both players have their detractors within the fanbase, but it was clear what the win meant for them, and how much they wanted it for the fans.

Magic Twitter was a happy place after that, with fans eager to share their pride in the team with one another (even if the need for some fans to one-up others by claiming to have been a fan for longer and endured more punishment got a bit tedious). Everybody was happy, and it created an atmosphere around the organization not seen since Dwight Howard left. Only now it felt different.

No bona fide superstar on the roster, and plenty of people ready to count them out. Zero expectations, and a lot of scars as a result of the missteps of before. A group of players to really be proud of, which came together in a way that hasn’t been seen in Orlando for a long time. This unifying moment was the best of the season, and it might not get much better this decade.