NBA: Magic fire Jamahl Mosley after first-round collapse

The Orlando Magic fired head coach Jamahl Mosley one day after a Game 7 loss to the Detroit Pistons, squandering a 3-1 series lead in another first-round playoff exit. The defeat marked Orlando’s third straight opening-round elimination and capped a five-season tenure for Mosley.

FIELD LEVEL MEDIA / Reuters

May 5, 2026

Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley gives orders during the first quarter of Game 6 of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida, U.S., May 1, 2026.

Jeremy Reper / Reuters

Head coach Jamahl Mosley was fired by the Orlando Magic on Monday, one day after a Game 7 loss to the Detroit Pistons in a first-round playoff series in which Orlando once led 3-1.

The Magic were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the third consecutive season. They advanced through the play-in tournament to secure the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Orlando appeared in control of the series after building a 24-point lead at home in Game 6 on Friday. However, the team managed only 19 points in the second half and lost the game, forcing a decisive Game 7 in Detroit on Sunday.

Mosley took responsibility for the collapse after Game 7, which the Pistons won 116-94. Detroit’s second-half surge secured a 4-3 series victory, making the Pistons the 15th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit in a playoff series. Orlando also fell in a Game 7 in the 2024 first round against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The 47-year-old Mosley spent five seasons as head coach of the Magic, finishing with a 189-221 record. Orlando won at least 41 games in each of the past three seasons under his leadership.

In a statement, Mosley expressed gratitude to the organization, players, and fans, calling his tenure “incredible” and saying he hoped the team was positively impacted during his time in Orlando.

Reports say former Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan is among the leading candidates to replace Mosley. Donovan recently stepped down from his role with the Bulls amid broader organizational changes.

-Field Level Media/Reuters