Last night, the Orlando Magic blew a 21-point, first-half lead--and a 15-point halftime lead--to the Washington Wizards in arguably the most frustrating, embarrassing loss of the season. That game prompted me to look into Orlando's history of coughing up big leads this year. Here's a list, presented without comment. Let me know if I've forgotten anything.
| Date | Opponent | Big lead | Clock | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Nov. | Miami | 11 | 7:58, 4Q | L, 99-98 |
| 10 Dec. | Utah | 18 | 8:40, 2Q | L, 120-111 |
| 8 Jan. | Washington | 10 | 10:39, 4Q | L, 104-97 |
| 18 Jan. | L.A. Lakers | 9 | 3:16, 3Q | L, 98-92 |
| 23 Jan. | Charlotte | 16 | 1:31, 3Q | W, 104-95 (OT) |
| 25 Jan. | Memphis | 16 | 7:18, 2Q | L, 99-94 |
| 31 Jan. | Detroit | 14 | 6:22, 2Q | W, 91-86 |
| 5 Feb. | Washington | 21 | 2:22, 1Q | L, 92-91 |
Of course, this examination doesn't give Orlando any credit for surmounting double-digit deficits itself, which it did against Boston last week and against Atlanta on Thanksgiving Day. It also overcame a 13-point deficit against the Lakers, only to fall short, as listed in the chart above. The point is that virtually no Magic lead is safe. 6 times in their last 15 games, the Magic have failed to protect considerable leads. Make of that what you will.
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