Game Preview

Dan Savage

ORLANDO – The Orlando Magic are eager to respond after suffering a tough home loss just over 24 hours ago.

In that outing against the Boston Celtics, turnovers, offensive rebounds and drifting away from their fundamental principles in several stretches proved too costly to overcome.

Now, despite the quick turnaround, the Magic (2-4) will attempt to limit those self-inflicted errors and bounce back against the Washington Wizards (3-3) on Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

“When you have a home-home back-to-back, you try to get as much rest as you can (after the first game), you meet at the (Kia Center on Monday) to go through what the other team is looking to do, how we want to defend it, and how we want to attack,” said Magic head coach Sean Sweeney. “And then, based on who we have, use the best combinations that we can and then look to go get them.”

Already down starters Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs, in addition to role players like Noah Penda and Jonathan Isaac, Orlando will be without another key cog against Washington.

On the second night of a back-to-back, Anthony Black will be sidelined due to right ankle injury management. Black missed the preseason and the first two games of the regular season due to an ankle injury.

Being down another ball handler certainly won’t help a team trying to win the turnover battle.

So far, through six regular season affairs, that’s been a key factor for the Magic. In wins, Orlando is committing 14.5 turnovers, leading to 14.0 points per contest. In defeats, its giveaway number balloons to 18.5, and points off of those turnovers jumps to 20.8 per game.

“It’s definitely a combination of things,” said Sweeney. “I think when you see that crowd being able to make the right play to your teammate is really important … There's a number of times where you have to be really strong with the ball, and then play through contact when you do get it. And we can do a better job of that.”

Finding offensive rhythm against Washington will be no easy task. Teams are shooting just 41.8 percent from the floor against the Wizards, the second lowest mark in the NBA, and a mere 28.7 percent from 3-points range, the lowest in the league.

Offensively, Washington is led by a pair of perennial All-Stars in Anthony Davis and Trae Young, who are both scoring over 20 points per game.

Orlando will also get its first look at the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, AJ Dybantsa. The 19-year-old BYU alum is currently averaging 18 points and 4.5 rebounds in his two appearances so far this season.

IN AND OUT: Banchero (right low-grade high ankle sprain), Black (right ankle injury management), Isaac (left knee injury management), Izaiyah Nelson (left ankle injury recovery), Penda (right partially torn hamstring) and Suggs (right knee contusion / bone bruise) are out for Orlando.

For Washington, Justin Champagnie (right foot surgery), Anthony Gill (low back spasms), Alex Sarr (left knee soreness), Tristan Vukcevic (left hip impingement) and Jamir Watkins (left ACL repair / surgery) are out.

KEY STATS: The Magic have won seven straight games against the Wizards at Kia Center, and 13 of their last 14 regular season meetings overall.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “That's also what gives us a lot of hope. It's just seeing that all of these empty possessions that we're having are really self-inflicted and just being able to actually play it out and take advantage of those possessions is going to help us big time. And that's offensive rebounding, that's finishing possessions and taking care of turnovers.” – Magic forward Tristan da Silva

SEATS FOR SOLDIERS:&nbsp;To honor the men, women and their families for their service, the Magic and L3Harris Technologies have teamed up for the 23rd consecutive season to host Seats for Soldiers Night tonight. The event will provide game tickets for more than 2,500 active and retired military personnel and their families courtesy of the Magic, L3Harris and season ticket holders who donated their seats for the occasion.

Additionally, any ticket purchased for the game $5 will be donated to Homes for Our Troops. L3Harris has been partnering with Homes for our Troops for more than 10 years and has given back more than $2.5 million to the wounded veteran community. Homes for Our Troops helps provide specially adapted custom homes for severely injured post 9/11 veterans. L3Harris also recently presented Homes for Our Troops with $100,000 to assist wounded veterans and their families. Since 2004, Homes for Our Troops has built and donated 448 homes across 46 states with another 63 projects underway and another 100 veterans in the application process for homes.

The Seats for Soldiers celebration will include veterans, active military, families from all branches from Lake Nona Rotary Club, Lake Nona Regional Chamber of Commerce, Veterans Affairs Committee, Patrick Air Force Base, Combined Task Force (CTF), ITT Naval Air Station Jacksonville, MacDill Air Force Base, MWR ITT Orlando, Patrick Space Force Base, Eglin Air Force Base, Tyndall Air Force Base, NAS Pensacola Maxwell Air Force Base Shades of Green, Mayport Jacksonville, Wounded Warriors Project, United States Air Force Band of the West at Lackland Air Force Base, The Museum of Military History, Camaraderie Foundation, State of Hope, U.S Coast Guard SFS.

L3Harris and Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. will also host organizations in suites. Carter Jr. will host military veterans from the Orlando VA, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and treat them to a meal and special Magic gear. L3Harris will be hosting military veterans in two suites.

In addition, in honor of the annual Seats for Soldiers Night, the Magic will feature several activities, giveaways, entertainment and recognitions:

HOW TO WATCH: Watch the contest on MagicTV.

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Orlando Magic vs. Washington Wizards: Game Preview

ORLANDO – The Orlando Magic made their first road trip of the season a successful one.

After earning a pair of victories over Eastern Conference contenders, they’re now dialed in on establishing homecourt dominance at the Kia Center.

The Magic (2-3) will attempt to notch their first home victory of the season when they host the red-hot Boston Celtics (4-1) on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET.

“(We need) to continue to do what we did on that trip,” said Magic head coach Sean Sweeney. “2-1 on the trip. Great road trip. Now, let’s sustain it at home, go give the fans something to cheer about, and get one on Sunday.”

While a team’s splits are obviously often more favorable in their wins rather than their losses, Orlando has three categories that are drastically different in victories as opposed to their defeats.

In their two triumphs this season, the Magic are shooting the ball with immense accuracy. They’ve knocked down 47.5 percent of their attempts from the field and 47.4 of them from 3-point range. In their losses, their shooting 44.6 percent from the floor and just 27.2 percent from deep.

Bench production has also been a factor. While injuries to Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs, Noah Penda and Jonathan Isaac have tested their depth, in victories, players off of the pine are putting up 36.5 points per game. That production dips to 31.3 points per outing in defeats.

And ball security has also played a role. They’ve coughed it up 14.5 times per win, while they are giving it up 18.7 times per loss.

“We did a great job on both ends of the floor (in our last win) of being connected, sharing the ball and trusting each other,” said Magic guard Desmond Bane. “I’m very pleased with the way we played.”

Orlando will need to play with that type of precision in order to best a Boston squad that’s won four straight contests after dropping its season opener.

The Celtics shook up the league landscape this summer when they dealt five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown to the 76ers in exchange for Paul George and draft capital. While it was assumed that there would be an adjustment period for Boston out of the gate, so far, the Cs are humming.

Six-time All-Star Jayson Tatum is currently seventh in the association in scoring, pouring in 27.6 points per game. George, meanwhile, has quickly adapted to his new squad and ranks second on the team in points (21.4) and rebounds (6.0), third in assists (4.4) and first in steals (2.4) per contest.

As a unit, Boston protects the paint. Opponents are scoring just 38 points per outing against the Cs in that area – the fewest in the league.

IN AND OUT: Banchero (right low-grade high ankle sprain), Isaac (left knee injury management), Izaiyah Nelson (left ankle injury recovery), Penda (right partially torn hamstring) and Suggs (right knee contusion / bone bruise) are out for Orlando.

For Boston, Mitchell Robinson (rest) is questionable, while Devin Carter (illness) is out.

KEY STATS: Through their first five games, the Magic have had a different leading scorer in each outing. Banchero (35 points – Hawks), Wendell Carter Jr. (20 – Timberwolves), Franz Wagner (23 – Knicks), Tristan da Silva (20 – Raptors) and Bane (28 – Raptors) have all taken their turn at leading the club. Per MagicTV’s Greg Hartung, it’s the first time in franchise history that’s happened in the first five games. Could someone like Anthony Black or Jase Richardson go off tonight and make it six consecutive outings?

QUOTE TO NOTE: “(I want to see us play) how we played (on Friday against Toronto) with physicality and energy all night. That’s got to become a habit.” – Wagner

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Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics: Game Preview

Orlando Tips Off Emirates NBA Cup 2026 Action in Toronto

TORONTO – The Orlando Magic are hoping their second tilt in Toronto looks different than their first.

And no, they’re not just talking about the aesthetics of the Raptors’ Emirates NBA Cup 2026 court.

Instead, Orlando is aiming to cut down on turnovers, clean the glass and get into an offensive rhythm in order to flip the script in The Six.

The Magic (1-3) will attempt to bounce back in Toronto when they square off with the Raptors (3-1) for the second straight time on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET. The outing will mark the first NBA Cup matchup for both squads.

“We have to play more intense, anyway,” said Magic forward Franz Wagner. “So, (the fact that it’s a cup game) should just add to the fire.”

In Orlando’s first meeting in Toronto, the Magic committed 20 turnovers, which led directly to 20 Raptors points. While Orlando will certainly take responsibility for some of the giveaways, it’s also important to note that Toronto is giving everybody fits in that regard.

The Raptors currently possess the NBA’s top defensive rating (97.9), have the most steals (14.3) per outing and are scoring the second most points off turnovers (24.3) per game.

“It’s about improving on our performance from the last game and getting better with our principles,” said Wagner. “And like I said, playing a lot harder.”

Orlando is determined to repeat last season’s NBA Cup success. The Magic went 5-1 in in-season tournament action in 2025, with their lone loss coming at the hands of the eventual champions, the New York Knicks, in the semifinals in Las Vegas.

“It’s another game on the schedule, but you’re playing for a little bit more,” said Magic guard Anthony Black about tonight’s cup contest. “It’s competition. It’s tournament style, so you always want to put your best foot forward, try to get a win (and) try to advance, which is something we’ve done. I’m looking forward to playing in an important game (tonight).”

Coincidentally, the NBA Cup championship match was between the Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, where Sean Sweeney then served as an associate head coach. Those two teams would meet again in the 2026 NBA Finals.

IN AND OUT: Paolo Banchero (right low-grade high ankle sprain), Jonathan Isaac (left knee injury management), Izaiyah Nelson (left ankle injury recovery), Noah Penda (right partially torn hamstring) and Jalen Suggs (right knee contusion / bone bruise) are out for Orlando.

For Toronto, Nate Bittle (right foot avulsion fracture) and Kawhi Leonard (left knee effusion / swelling) are out.

KEY STATS: The Raptors have won the last two matchups against the Magic by a combined 82 points, their largest scoring margin over a single opponent in any two-game span in franchise history (per Sportradar). Toronto was plus-52 in a 139-87 victory on March 29 and was plus-30 in its 129-99 triumph on Wednesday. While none of those affairs were NBA Cup contests, Friday’s matchup will fall into that bucket. Thus, it will be imperative to flip the script in terms of point differential.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “Being strong with the ball. Expecting physicality. Expecting pressure. And just knowing when to get off the ball. A lot of times they put two or three dudes on the ball, and we just have to do a better job of seeing that, being in the right spot, making the right play, and getting the open look.” – Black on how his team can get into an offensive rhythm against Toronto

NBA CUP BREAKDOWN: The Emirates NBA Cup 2026 will tip off with the start of group play on Friday NBA team markets, and culminate with the championship on Friday, Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The Emirates NBA Cup will consist of two stages: group play and the knockout rounds.

All 30 teams have been randomly drawn into groups of five within their conference based on win-loss records from the 2025-26 regular season. In addition to Toronto, Brooklyn, Detroit and Milwaukee are also in Orlando’s group.

Beginning Friday and continuing through Friday, Nov. 27, each team will play four designated group play games on “Cup Nights” – one game against each opponent in its group, with two games at home and two on the road.

Eight teams will advance to the knockout rounds: the team with the best standing in group play games in each of the six groups and two “wild cards” (the team from each conference with the best record in Group Play games that finished second in its group).

The knockout rounds will consist of single-elimination games in the quarterfinals, semifinals, and championship. The quarterfinals (Friday, Dec. 4 and Saturday, Dec. 5) and semifinals (Tuesday, Dec. 8 and/or Wednesday, Dec. 9) will be played in NBA team markets, with each game at the home arena of the higher-seeded team. The teams in the knockout rounds will compete for a prize pool and the NBA Cup championship trophy.

All games across both stages of the Emirates NBA Cup will count toward the regular-season standings except the championship.

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Orlando Magic at Toronto Raptors: Game Preview

TORONTO – The Orlando Magic tipped off their first road trip of the 2026-27 campaign in the right fashion.

Orlando delivered a hard-fought effort to overcome a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit and defeat the defending champion New York Knicks at MSG.

Unfortunately, that victory came with a price. In the final minutes of that outing, guard Jalen Suggs went down with a right knee injury and will be out at least the next couple of weeks.

After losing star forward Paolo Banchero to an ankle injury just one matchup earlier, the Magic’s depth will now be put to the test.

Orlando (1-2) will look to once again overcome adversity when it visits the Toronto Raptors (2-1) on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

“We have to come in with the mindset of being the aggressor (and) not being chased after,” said Magic guard Jase Richardson. “Just try to be aggressive, limit our turnovers and play fast.”

It’s going to take more than one or two players to make up for the loss of two key starters like Banchero and Suggs.

In New York, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, Tristan da Silva, and Anthony Black, who was making his season debut, did the heavy offensive lifting to lead Orlando to a 111-102 triumph. It’ll take another group effort at Scotiabank Arena in order to repeat that result.

“(It takes) togetherness,” said Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. “That’s 25 (points) from Paolo and 16 or 17 from J Suggs off of the table offensively. So, I feel like guys just have to step up. Step up, take shots when they’re open, stay confident (and) stick to the process (regardless) of what the results are. As long as the process is right, you live with the results.”

The Raptors, meanwhile, also had a franchise cornerstone pop up on the injury report. Seven-time All-Star Kawhi Leonard is expected to miss at least a few weeks due to knee swelling.

Regardless of Leonard’s absence, Toronto’s identity doesn’t change. The Raptors are going to play aggressive defense, jump into passing lanes and attempt to wreak havoc on that end of the floor.

They currently possess the NBA’s top defensive rating (97.8), have the most steals (14.0) per outing and are scoring the second most points off turnovers (25.7) per tilt.

Those takeaways have given Toronto a massive offensive advantage. Per Sportradar, the Raptors are averaging over 16 more shot attempts from the field than their opponents, the fourth largest advantage through three games by any team over the past 20 years.

“Take care of the ball,” said Carter. “They’re turning teams over. And then, rebounding. Those are the two things. That’s how they get most of their second chance looks or their easy looks in transition. And then, crash the offensive boards. If we clean up those, limit the turnovers and clean (the glass), we’ll give ourselves a real good chance to win tonight.”

IN AND OUT: Black (personal reasons) was not at shootaround and is listed as questionable, but is expected to rejoin the team by game time. Banchero (right low-grade high ankle sprain), Jonathan Isaac (left knee injury management), Izaiyah Nelson (left ankle injury recovery), Noah Penda (right partially torn hamstring) and Suggs (right knee contusion / bone bruise) are out for Orlando.

For Toronto, Nate Bittle (right foot avulsion fracture) and Leonard (left knee effusion / swelling) are out.

KEY STATS: The Magic earned their victory over the Knicks at MSG in large part due to Fourth-Quarter Franz, who fired off 21 of his 23 points in the final frame.

As a unit, Orlando has been the top fourth-quarter scoring team in the NBA this season. Through three games, the Magic are averaging 32.7 points in the closing quarter.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “He ain’t gonna let us lose. He got that will and that determination to do whatever it takes to win games. That’s all that was.” – Bane on Wagner’s performance in NYC

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NEW YORK – In the NBA, it’s not a matter of if adversity will strike, but just a matter of when.

Unfortunately for the Orlando Magic, they’ve been dealt their share of it right out of the gate.

Amidst navigating through a challenging opening schedule while adjusting to a new coaching staff, Orlando was hit with a significant injury blow on Saturday when the team announced that superstar forward Paolo Banchero suffered a low-grade high ankle sprain.

And to make matters even more difficult, the team just embarked on their first road trip of the season, which tips off with a stop in New York to take on the defending NBA champions.

The Magic (0-2) will attempt to battle through the early season adversity and record their first win of the 2026-27 campaign when they square off with the Knicks (0-2) on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET.

“Anytime anybody goes out, the next guy has to be ready,” said Magic head coach Sean Sweeney. “Tonight, with these guys – the defending champs – you know you’re going to have to be very ready to start the game. And then, you’re going to have to sustain it throughout.”

Banchero was off to a stellar start to the season before bit by the injury bug. The 6-foot-10 forward was shooting 69.6 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range. On opening night against Atlanta, P5 notched 35 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists.

Now, the Magic will have to collectively make up for that immense level of production in order to steady the ship in the Big Apple.

New York, meanwhile, will also be looking to place its first notch in the win column. Following their title run, the Knicks have dropped their first two outings of the season with close defeats at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics.

“It starts with Jalen Brunson, who’s an All-NBA player and Finals MVP, who’s got a diversified skillset and can make shots from three levels," said Sweeney. "Then, you’ve got guys like Karl-Anthony Towns, who puts pressure on your defense because of how good of a shooter as he is, as well as a playmaker. They put the ball in hands at the elbows a lot. And then, you’ve got multiple guys on the perimeter like OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Landry Shamet and Josh Hart that all know how to play together and some of those guys (go back all the way to) their days at Villanova. So, it takes a lot. You have to be ready to limit their good looks at the rim (and) limit their good looks at threes. You have to do a good job with your stance and vision awareness because of how much they run off ball screening actions. Then,&nbsp;you have to rebound the ball.”

IN AND OUT: Anthony Black (right ankle sprain) is available after going through the team's shootaround this morning. Banchero (right low-grade high ankle sprain), Jonathan Isaac (left knee injury management), Izaiyah Nelson (left ankle injury recovery) and Noah Penda (right partially torn hamstring) are out for Orlando.

“I’m feeling good,” said Black. “We’ll see how the shooting slot goes and see how my body feels after shootaround. And then, go from there.”

For New York, Jose Alvarado (left ankle sprain) is out.

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Paolo Banchero Injury Update

KEY STATS: One of the surprising stats from Orlando’s first two tilts is that the team is currently last in the league in points off turnovers (12.5 per contest) – albeit from an extremely small sample size. The Magic have been at their best in the past when their defense has fueled their offense, and they will certainly look to climb up the ladder in that column against the Knicks.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “I just want to see them come together. It’s very early in the season, so there’s a lot out in front of us. Just continue to grow and play together. Also, start to get some wins and start to find our flow as a team.” – Banchero on what he wants to see out of his teammates during his absence

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Orlando Magic at New York Knicks: Game Preview

ORLANDO – The Orlando Magic are about to embark on their first road trip of their 2026-27 campaign.

But before they do, they’re hoping to pack a win in their suitcase from home.

The Magic (0-1) look to record their first victory of the season when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves (1-0) on Friday at 7 p.m. ET.

“It’s a long process,” said Magic center Nikola Vucevic. “It’s a long season. A lot of ups and downs. You have to fight through adversity, you have to fight through good moments. You have to try and stay at the mid-level. I think for us, because it’s very new and we have a new coaching staff, it’s about continuing to build that foundation and continuing to build what we want to do. Take it day by day. Some days, it’s going to look great. Hopefully, it looks great tonight and we get a win and everything’s great. But then tomorrow, we have to understand we have another one on Sunday (in New York against the Knicks). And you have to start from zero (again).”

Orlando will have its hands full with a Minnesota squad that lets it rip from beyond the arc. The Wolves fired off an NBA season-high 50 triples in their opener against the Miami Heat and knocked down a whopping 21 of them.

Four-time All-Star Anthony Edwards poured in a team-high nine of them on his way to a sensational 45-point night, while LaMelo Ball, acquired from the Charlotte Hornets this summer, knocked down five of his 13 attempts from beyond the arc.

“Just trying to limit their threes,” said Magic guard Jase Richardson. “In their last game, they got a lot up and hit a lot of threes. So, trying to manage that and make them take tough twos. Ant and LaMelo are going to try and get to their spots, so we have to try and limit them.”

Not only will the Magic have to be extremely diligent in guarding the 3-point line, but they’ll have to do a better job of defending it without fouling. Orlando was guilty of fouling a 3-point shooter on three occasions against Atlanta and committed 28 fouls overall.

Offensively, the Magic will look to build on an opening night showing where they tallied 125 points against one of the most aggressive defenses in the league. In addition to superstar forward Paolo Banchero’s magnificent 35-point, seven-rebound, 10-assist outing, Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. each added 22 points.

As a unit, Orlando dished out 30 assists, the fourth most of any squad in its 2026-27 debut.

IN AND OUT: Anthony Black (right ankle sprain), Jonathan Isaac (left knee injury management), Izaiyah Nelson (left ankle injury recovery) and Noah Penda (right partially torn hamstring) are out for Orlando.

For Minnesota, Donte DiVincenzo (right Achilles tendon repair) is out.

KEY STATS: Banchero became the first player in NBA history to post 35-plus points and 10-plus assists, while shooting at least 80 percent from the floor in a season opener.

“I loved his aggressiveness,” Sweeney explained. “I thought he did a great job of really trying to put pressure on the defense, and I think he can be even better. But he did a great job in a lot of areas, and I thought he did a good job of drawing the defense, attacking, finishing. Obviously, he shot it very well (and) got to the free throw line a lot. So, did a great job there and can keep getting better."

QUOTE TO NOTE: “It brought back some good memories. I’ve definitely done it a couple of times. They were giving me talking points about what I need to say, and I was like ‘I’ve done it about six or seven times.’ (laughter) So, I’m good. But it was great. It was really nice to receive the reception that I did. I could see the fans’ reaction. It was special to get that respect and love from the fans for everything that I’ve done so far. Hopefully, a lot more to come. It was great to do it.” – Vucevic

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Nikola Vucevic Addresses the Crowd

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Orlando Magic vs. Minnesota Timberwolves: Game Preview

ORLANDO – The Orlando Magic are hoping to go further this season than they have in recent memory.

While lofty goals of becoming one of the top seeds in the Eastern Conference and earning playoff series victories are admirable, to a man, the Magic are well aware that there’s no skipping steps on the way to sustainable success.

As a result, this unit put in a substantial amount of work this summer, arrived back in Central Florida early to build internal chemistry, used training camp to master new head coach Sean Sweeney’s system, and put all that labor to the test in the preseason.

Now, Orlando’s quest is to get better game by game and rack up wins along the way.

The Magic’s 2026-27 regular season campaign officially tips off on Wednesday when they host the Atlanta Hawks at 7 p.m. ET at Kia Center.

“There’s the excitement of a new season,” said Magic forward Franz Wagner. “For us (with) a new staff, there are a lot of exciting things. We’re trying to improve on (last season). So, I think we’re all really eager to get started.”

Orlando made the most of its preseason action, finishing 3-1. While those numbers don’t matter once the ball tips off on Wednesday night, those four contests are the best gauge of what this squad will look like under Sweeney, who makes his official debut as an NBA head coach against Atlanta.

“I think we’ve done really well,” Wagner explained. “Our effort to try and execute those little things has been really good. Everybody has listened to the staff and tries to execute even when things don’t work the first time. And I think we see the habits kind of translating (to games), which gives everybody a little bit more juice to do it again.”

Sweeney’s offensive system predicated on quick decisions, detailed spacing and mindful playmaking helped mold Orlando into one of the best offensive units this preseason. The Magic finished their exhibition campaign second in the NBA in assists (32.0) and with the third-best offensive rating (118.1).

Orlando shot lights out from beyond the arc as well, draining 38.8 percent of its 3-point attempts, the third best mark in the league.

“We need to make sure we (keep) knowing what we’re trying to get done each day and be really purposeful in the work,” Sweeney said. “That way, we can make sure we do a good job of improving. Because, as we know, where we are going into the (regular) season is not where we want to finish. We want to keep building each day.”

The Magic will have their hands full with a Hawks squad that swept them in their four meetings last season. Atlanta guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, winner of the NBA’s 2025-26 Most Improved Player award, gave Orlando fits, posting 28.0 points per game against the Magic, tied for his second-highest total against any squad.

Atlanta’s offense is also led by All-Star forward Jalen Johnson and veteran guard CJ McCollum.

“They’ve got a lot of guys with versatile skill sets,” Sweeney explained. “They’ve got a lot of shooting. Defensively, they’re a high turnover forcing team. Offensively, they do a good job of running the court. They do a good job of mixing in different actions to get guys shots. And then, they shoot the ball well from three. They’ve got multiple guys that on the catch can really shoot the basketball. And then, they’ve got guys like Jalen Johnson, who’s been All-NBA and can really attack. So, we’re going to have to be ready for everything.”

For Atlanta, Mouhamed Gueye (left foot fracture) and Henri Veesaar (right ACL tear) are out.

KEY STATS: Orlando has won three straight season openers overall and six consecutive season openers at the KIA Center.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “I’ve still got to do what I need to do. I’m still trying to help the team win. It’s more important than just me. I’m looking forward to having a good season. Making the most out of this year with my team.” – Magic guard Anthony Black after the two sides were unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension prior to the season

IN THE ARENA: In celebration of the Magic’s 38th season, fans can look forward to a variety of festivities both inside and outside the Kia Center. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to take in the full experience.

Limited tickets for opening night remain available and can be purchased at orlandomagic.com&nbsp;or by calling 407-89-MAGIC.

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Orlando Magic vs. Atlanta Hawks: Season Opener Game Preview

The Orlando Magic have one final tune-up before the real action begins.

The Magic (2-1) close out their preseason schedule when they host the Southeast Division rival Miami Heat (3-1) on Friday at 7 p.m. ET.

In recent history, it hasn’t mattered whether it’s been summer league, preseason, regular season or NBA Cup action, the Magic have had the Heat’s number. Orlando has recorded eight straight victories over Miami in aforementioned contests.

However, that’s before the Heat shook up their roster with a blockbuster trade this offseason.

Miami acquired two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer along with Bobby Portis in exchange for Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel'el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis and draft picks. The 10-time NBA All-Star adds another dimension to Miami on both ends of the floor.

“When it comes to Miami, there are two main things,” said Magic head coach Sean Sweeney. “One is transition defense, getting back and getting set. Understanding how fast they’re going to try and play. In the preseason, they’re number two in fast break points. And from there, it’s how do you guard the basketball? They’re a very drive-and-kick oriented offensive. Antetokounmpo presents his own style. But just in general, how you guard the basketball, not only as an individual on it, but as a group behind it. Portis presents a stretch five element, which is something we haven’t seen a ton of yet. So, working on those things against them is important.”

The Magic will also be focused on building on a dominant 132-116 preseason home victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“I thought we were physical on both ends of the court and the ball was moving,” said Magic forward Paolo Banchero. “I thought we got into things we were trying to run with pace and just good flow."

QUOTE TO NOTE: “Statistically, I want to average at least three stocks (steals plus blocks) per game. Whether that’s two steals and one block, three blocks, three steals, whatever the case may be. I (also) want to be on the all-defensive team. That’s the accolades of it. But I think as a team, I want to be the guy that’s the anchor. (I want) other players and (coaches) to look at this team and know that I’m holding it down for this team on defense.” – Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. on his defensive goals this season

KEY STATS: Orlando’s coaches have encouraged forward Tristan da Silva to be aggressive on the offensive end and hunt his shot from beyond the arc. So far, he’s delivered in that regard. The 6-foot-8 forward has attempted a league-high 10.7 triples per outing this preseason. He’s made 4.0 of them per contest, also the most in the league.

"He's done a really nice job on both ends,” said Sweeney. “In each of the three preseason games we've had he's shot over 10 threes. And I love the aggressiveness he's showing. He's hunting the right shots. And then defensively, he's done a really good job with his positioning. He's been picking up our schemes really well and then he makes great effort plays throughout the course of his minutes."

RIVALS REPORT: In the final Rivals Report of the preseason, we’re joined by Heat.com’s Couper Moorhead, who’s now in his 17th season with the team. He was kind enough to answer a couple questions about the Heat heading into their preseason finale against the Magic.

SAVAGE: “Obviously, Miami’s big offseason addition was Giannis. But you had an interesting tweet about how his presence finally gives Bam Adebayo a switchable big next to him. Take us through what you meant by that and how it could help Miami’s defense?”

MOORHEAD: “Miami's scheme when they have had switchable players around Bam, they have been a very switch-heavy defense. But there have been years where the roster didn't really support that, and then Bam would have to play more drop coverage. Which he's still good at, but is not his strongest skill set, since he's one of the best switch defenders of the past decade or two. And one of my big questions coming into camp was, it looked like they had a switchable roster, but I needed confirmation from Spo (and) from the guys that that's kind of what was going to be a part of their defensive package. And Bam gave a great quote at training camp. When I asked him how excited he was to have switchable guys around him, he had a big smile on his face and said, ‘yeah, we're gonna switch everything.’ And they're not obviously going to switch absolutely everything. Spo likes to have a dynamic defense. But so far, they have switched quite a bit.

Back in the 2021-22 season, they had P.J. Tucker. P.J. was one of the best (undersized switchable defenders) in recent years. He obviously did it a lot in Houston. When he was next to Bam, Miami switched the most picks in the league, and they had the best defense in the league. So now, now what's a defense like that with Giannis next to Bam? Giannis is probably the best rim protector they've had in a long time. He's an amazing help-side defender (and) an amazing free safety defender. You can have him and you have Andrew Wiggins, who can switch on about anyone you want him to. You have Davion Mitchell at the point of attack. You got a guy like Pelle Larsson off the bench who can switch. So, there's just a lot of opportunity for them to play switching defense when they want to. But then they have guys who can do multiple coverages throughout the entire game. And I think they are high level, high IQ guys as well. So, they can switch up coverages kind of possession to possession. So, I think this could be one of the best defenses they've had in the Bam era. And Giannis’ skill set and his size should unlock a lot of that.”

SAVAGE: “On the offensive end, we’re once again seeing Miami play with a lot of pace. How is Giannis fitting into that. On the surface, it seemed like a perfect marriage when the trade was made?”

MOORHEAD: “Again, that was one of my big questions coming into the preseason. You can look at a team and say, well, this might make sense, but we're not going to know until we know. And I wanted to see whether or not they were going to carry over the offense from last season, which was low on screens, high on drives, high on isolations (and) the fastest team in the league. At media day, Spo pretty much confirmed that they're going to carry over a lot of those principles because it makes sense. And they obviously don't want to turn Giannis into something he isn't, but the system is really just such a good fit for him. Because he's the best rim attacking guy of the past decade, right? So, if you have a system that plays fast, gets him downhill a lot, gets him into great driving spaces with spacing around him, then he should be able to take advantage. And we've seen that so far in the preseason. They played an extremely fast pace once again. And Giannis has had some comments, here and there where he's like, "yeah, they're actually playing faster than I've played before,’ and he's had to adjust to it. That sort of thing. He even mentioned during the preseason or before media day that they were playing pickup games and guys were beating him down the floor, which is not something that often happens. But he's been unbelievable in the open floor so far in the limited time that we've kind of seen the main guys together.

And the other guy along with Giannis is Davion Mitchell, who had a really good season in this system last year. He's really been kind of a driving force and engine for setting a pace for them early, blazing a trail up the floor, bringing everybody along with him. And that sets a tone for the rest of the game. And they've been able to sustain pace, with pretty much whoever they've had on the floor. And it's been pretty impressive so far. We'll see if they can sustain it. But last year we had some questions about whether they could sustain it from preseason to regular season, and they did, and then some. So, I'm not too concerned about them being able to keep a faster pace for the next few months.”

SAVAGE: “The Heat have already played four preseason games. Has anything else stood out to you through those four contests?”

MOORHEAD: “In a weird way, no, which sounds odd to say about a pretty fresh, newly made roster. But it's almost like everybody has been as advertised. The team has been what we expected it to be, which is all good. Those are all good things. There hasn't really been much to nitpick or look at with a critical eye. Everybody has been playing very well. They've been playing to the system. There have been moments where I expect this to be a great defensive rebounding team in general. There have been a few moments where they gave up some offensive boards. They all called that out. Last game, Spo called it out. He said the defense – Bam didn't play that game – wasn't quite up to their level. There have been moments where the timing of the screening has been a little off and the spacing has been a little off. All the usual stuff that you expect to see in preseason from guys who are learning how to play with one another, and nothing that I find particularly concerning. But other than that, it's been fun for everybody. The games have been high scoring and they've been fast. And I think everybody has really enjoyed this process of getting to know how to fit in next to one another. It's been great. I've just been telling people, look, I think this team has the juice. It has the energy behind it, which is a good feeling to have in preseason. It doesn't guarantee you anything. Like they could go out and lose a game next week once the regular season starts, and then you have to start taking a closer look at everything and see where you need to improve. But for now, it's been a two thumbs up sort of preseason.”

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Orlando Magic vs. Miami Heat: Preseason Game Preview

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