Back-to-back wins? Tougher than it looks

Orlando put some breathing room between itself and Atlanta with back-to-back wins in three days. It does not get much closer to a playoff series then that and home-and-homes do not pop up on the NBA schedule often.

It IS January and the playoffs are a long way away, but don't think that Wednesday's and Friday's win were not insignificant. The Magic expanded their 4-game lead to six in the division. They could still blow it, but they now have all the confidence and the Hawks don't.

But taking back-to-back games in a home-and-home series is something that does not happen often in the regular season.

Orlando has had a surprising number of home-and-homes. Here are those results:

January 26, 29, 2007 vs. Atlanta (lost at home 93-90 first, then lost on the road 93-83)

February 14-15, 2006 vs. Miami (lost on the road 107-93, then lost at home 110-100)

January 28-29, 2005 vs. Washington (won at home 108-101, then won on the road 103-97)
February 26-27, 2005 vs. Miami (lost on the road 101-98, then lost at home 112-103)
March 21, 24, 2005 vs. Charlotte (lost on the road 102-97, then lost at home 108-94)

January 19, 21, 2004 vs. Milwaukee (won at home 106-99, then lost on the road 113-102)

November 23-24, 2001 vs. Charlotte (Hornets) (won on the road 109-99, then lost at home 103-101)
December 7-8, 2001 vs. Atlanta (won at home 129-94, then lost on the road 107-104)

December 1-2, 2000 vs. New Jersey (won at home 83-80, then won on the road 95-74)

March 2, 4, 1997 vs. Seattle (lost at home 109-101, won on the road 101-89)

November 7-8, 1996 vs. New Jersey in Japan (won the first game 108-95, won the second game 86-82)

March 5, 8, 1996 vs. Charlotte (Hornets) (won on the road 123-97, won at home 117-112)
March 31, April 4, 1996 vs. New York (won at home 98-79, won on the road 98-85)

December 6-7, 1994 vs. Cleveland (won on the road 114-97, won at home 90-75)
April 5, 7, 1995 vs. Detroit (won at home 128-125, then lost on the road 104-94)
April 17, 19, 1995 vs. Washington (won at home 111-110, then lost on the road 123-117)

March 9, 11, 1994 vs. Philadelphia (won on the road 117-101, then won at home 112-105)

April 10, 13, 1993 vs. Milwaukee (lost on the road 108-97, then won at home 110-91)

December 26-27, 1991 vs. Detroit (lost at home 112-100, then lost on the road 106-94)

November 11, 13, 1989 vs. Atlanta (lost on the road 148-109, then lost at home 112-104)

If you made it this far and have been able to draw any conclusions I congratulate you. But it should be no surprise that the teams that were able to win both of these home and homes in a single season were the best in team history.