J. Kyle Mann

It's not that easy, but they were on my list.

The candidates for this, and I will go through my own, were Houston.

And I just, I didn't pick them because I think they are going to make the top six.

I considered them.

I considered Minnesota, who's currently sixth, but I have absolutely this will come back to surely come back to bite me.

I have absolutely no fear that they're going to fall out of the top six there.

I said it.

I considered Phoenix, who's seventh, but this is an all gravy season for Phoenix.

I considered Toronto, who's fifth in the East.

It's an all gravy season for Toronto.

I considered Philadelphia, who's sixth in the East.

Just with all the injuries and the feel-good story of Edgecombe and Maxey, it doesn't feel like a catastrophe if they fall into the play-in.

And then I considered Milwaukee and just said, I think they're too far back of the number six seed for this conversation.

I landed on Orlando, who is 28 and 25 with a negative point differential for the season and seventh in the East in a season in which reasonable people, not me, reasonable people picked them to make the NBA Finals.

I just think this is a disaster season for the Magic as it is now.

And look, you can tell me.

I have the stats right here.

Franz and Paolo, plus three per 100 possessions.

They've only played in 18 games together.

Franz, Paolo, and Jalen Suggs, plus 12 possessions.