The Orlando Magic have fired head coach Jamahl Mosley after blowing a 3-1 series lead in the first round of the NBA playoffs, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Mosley, who had been in charge of the Magic for five seasons, was canned the day after Orlando’s season came to an end.
Despite winning three of the first four games of the series against the Detroit Pistons, the Magic lost the final three matchups – including in Sunday’s 22-point defeat to secure their elimination.
Charania reports that Magic president Jeff Weltman will be leading the franchise’s search for its next head coach.
‘We’re grateful to Jamahl (Mosley) for all he’s done for the Orlando Magic,’ Weltman said in a statement released by the team on Monday.
‘We appreciate his leadership and the positive contributions he made as head coach. While this was a difficult decision, we feel it’s time for a new voice and fresh perspective. We wish Jamahl and his family nothing but the best.’
The Orlando Magic have fired head coach Jamahl Mosley after a playoff elimination
The firing comes after the Magic blew a 3-1 series lead to the Pistons and were eliminated
Mosley had been eliminated from the first round of the playoffs in three straight seasons
Mosley had been at the helm of the franchise since 2021 when he took over after the firing of Steve Clifford.
After two years of re-building, the Magic made the playoffs in three straight seasons with Mosley in charge. But in all three of those playoff appearances, the Magic lost in the first round.
In his first playoff appearance, they would lose in seven games to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The following season, they lost in five games to the Boston Celtics.
This year, Mosley struggled at the helm to a 45-37 record. But he still managed to get them to the NBA’s Play-In Tournament.
After losing to the Philadelphia 76ers, they eliminated the Charlotte Hornets to reach the main stage of the playoffs.
Orlando out-classed the Pistons in Games 1, 2 and 4 – opening the series with an 11-point victory.
But they lost the final three games of the series by a combined margin of 43 points, including by double digits in Games 6 and 7.
Both the 24-25 and 25-26 seasons were defined by a litany of injuries to star players like Jalen Suggs and Paolo Banchero.
MORE TO FOLLOW.
