ORLANDO — The Orlando Magic have won the Southeast Division for the first time in five years.
Will they be able to achieve consecutive wins in the season for the first time in about 15 years?
DraftKings has Orlando listed as the favorite to win the Southeast Division in 2024-25 at -140. The Miami Heat are in the running to win the division at +150 and are arguably the biggest threat for Orlando to win the division for the second straight year. The Magic went 1-3 against Miami last season.
The Magic won the division last season by one game over Miami, which ultimately led to Orlando getting the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and the Heat earning a spot in the play-in tournament.
The Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards are all unlikely to dethrone the Magic, with Atlanta priced at +1,400, the Hornets at +8,000 and Washington at +40,000.
The last time Orlando won back-to-back division titles was when they won the Southeast Division three years in a row from 2007 to 2010. The Magic won at least 50 games every season and last appeared in the NBA Finals in 2009.
Led by Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, the Heat are a threat to be reckoned with. They're just one year removed from an NBA Finals appearance, but they've shown the ability to perform at their best when it matters most.
Orlando has made significant strides in each of the past two seasons, improving from 22 wins to 34 in 2022-23 and winning 47 games last season. With the continued development of the fifth-youngest team in the NBA and the offseason free agent addition of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the Magic could be poised to further improve their win total next season, which they will likely need if they are to win the Southeast Division for the second consecutive year.
