Last season with the Grizzlies, new Magic guard Desmond Bane witnessed firsthand just how heavy dramatic losses can feel for an NBA team deep in a regular season.
From Feb. 28-March 3 almost a year ago, Memphis loss three games in a row — each by fewer than two points and by a combined five at home.
Although Bane’s former team, which later traded him to Orlando over the summer, was able to finish 48-34 and reach the playoffs (where it made a first-round exit to the eventual champion Oklahoma City), he referred to that stretch as a crucial turning point for the squad roughly 60 games into the season.