Orlando Magic Has Unlucky Distinction Among All NBA Teams

Originally posted on Orlando Magic on SI
By Aidan Chacon | Last updated Aug 25, 2025 5:39 PM ET

Downtown Orlando

Being a touring entertainment attraction comes with its built-in challenges. Separation from family, maintaining relationships, and overall exhaustion are just a few.

Another burden every team has to face together is flying from city to city repeatedly. Some teams endure 10-day stretches of away games and separation from their usual environment. The Orlando Magic specifically have gone through their fair share of trials and tribulations since last season started.

Health and lack of efficient shooting are two main concerns for the Magic but a third hurdle needs to be jumped through now.

The Magic will lead the NBA this season in total miles traveled at 55k✈️ pic.twitter.com/B8UGfi0FkV
— SleeperMagic (@SleeperOrlando) August 15, 2025

The Magic are set to travel more than any other NBA team next season. Chris Gunther with Charting Hoops executed a deep dive on the amount of miles every team in the NBA is set to travel. His analysis found that the Magic are set to travel almost the same amount of distance as traveling the circumference of Earth twice.

The Indiana Pacers are set to travel the least out of any team. They're set to travel about 18,000 less miles than the Magic.

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

An overseas round trip from Europe is the biggest contributor to Orlando's massive travel demands. The Magic are set to play two international games within a 4-day span in January. Orlando plays the Memphis Grizzlies twice in Berlin and London on January 15 and 18, respectively.

Youth will certainly be on Orlando's side in terms of dealing with this obstacle. However, Gunther suggests how 50,000 miles traveled can affect any NBA team regardless of age.

"The results are somewhat mixed, but there is some evidence over the last three seasons, that when teams don’t travel much in a given month, their winning percentage goes up compared to their season long average. Conversely, in the months when they are traveling the most, their winning percentage drops."Chris Gunther

Gunther's analysis also found that teams with more back-to-back games in a month travel more than teams that have less back-to-back games in a month. This means that players are being asked to travel further distances in order to rest less.

Chris Gunther | Charting Hoops

The other teams that surround Orlando on the most-traveled list have something in common with Orlando's geographic location. The Portland Trailblazers, Miami Heat, LA Clippers, and Golden State Warriors also take top spots on the list. All four of these teams live in far points of the east and west coast of the United States. Orlando's eventual trip to play the Trailblazers will take 2,526 miles by itself.

The obstacle is inevitable. The schedule is set. This obstacle is a big test for Orlando's young squad and coach Jamahl Mosley's ability to keep his team poised and focused.

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This article first appeared on Orlando Magic on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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