What Went Wrong: Injuries
Over the next few weeks Orlando Magic Daily will be taking a look at the things that went right and wrong this season as Orlando ended its season with its first Lottery season in six years.
They hit on game number one and did not seem to relent. The Magic had no choice but to roll with the punches and stay positive as they derailed any chance for consistency and success this season.
In the third quarter of the season opener against Denver, Hedo Turkoglu went up for a layup and a player hit his hand. It was broken and Turkoglu would be out until late December. As Adam Papageorgiou pointed out on the ELOOnline Podcast Magic Season Review, Turkoglu came to camp in shape and ready to contribute in a major way after a disappointing season and a half with the Magic (PED suspension aside . . .).
Instead, he played in just 11 games and never found his rhythm, scoring 32 total points and shooting 1 for 24 from beyond the arc.
Unfortunately, Turkoglu was just the beginning of the hit parade that became the Magic's season.
No hit was harder than Glen Davis going down with a shoulder injury on December 19. At that point, Orlando was 12-13 and could at least think about entertaining the idea of a run into the Playoffs -- just to shut some critics up. Davis averaged 15.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, taking full advantage of his larger role within the Magic's offense and taking his leaderhsip role very seriously.
The season fell apart from there as Orlando would win only eight of the final 57 games of the season.
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Amway Center continues to impress as a building and arena experience even three years into its existence.
Mark Jackson was faced witha difficult dilemma entering his team's second matchup with Denver in the Playoffs. With David Lee out for the Postseason thanks to a torn hip flexor, Jackson asked his assistant coaches to talk him out of starting point guard Jarrett Jack alongside Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry.
Washington Wizards center 

Glen Davis is known for speaking his mind. He provided some of the most quotable moments of the season in his short playing time this season -- anyone remember "Opinions are like butt holes. Everyone has got one. Some of them stink." during the Magic's opening weekend?
The season was a tough one to get through. It would have been easy to give in to despair pretty quickly and disparage the players on the team and the organization's fate. Dwight Howard put fans through the ringer and it would be difficult to trust someone again. The next star on this roster might have to deal with that collateral, emotional damage from that.
The long-term picture for the Magic looks relatively bright. There is young talent, high draft picks and cap space on the horizon. The long-term view requires patience and heartache. There will be more difficult seasons ahead as the Magic try to build back up. And some luck will be needed.