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Three Crucial Orlando Magic Opponents this Season
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- Three Crucial Orlando Magic Opponents this Season
Three Crucial Orlando Magic Opponents this Season
(Mike Watters-Imagn Images)
To be the best, you've got to beat the best, and there aren't any more excuses because of injuries. Now it's time to exceed expectations and execute for stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
The Orlando Magic have a higher level of competition in the Eastern Conference compared to the beginning of last season, when they were viewed as a potential top-three seed. Now, with the New York Knicks starting the season as defending champions, LeBron James joining the 76ers and an overall improvement in talent across the conference, the Magic aren't projected to be as good this season.
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Full Court Magic host Don Strouble went on the podcast to speak on three crucial opponents:
"I released a story the other day about what I believe to be the three most important games from the first half of the season for the Magic. I will be doing another story shortly about the three most important games from the second half. And you know, it's interesting, at least in my view, how many of those games fell in close succession of one another. And all of them are within the first month of the season, right?"
"So, I chose October 25th at the New York Knicks. Why? Because they are the defending champs and they are the ones who knocked off the Magic in the NBA Cup semi-finals, right? And so it would be good for the Magic if they could go in there and spoil the fun for the Knicks. It's not ring night, but could still quiet down that Madison Square Garden crowd a little bit. And also Sweeney could get a little bit of revenge, because obviously he was an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs and they just lost to the Knicks in five games in the NBA Finals."
"And then there's Philadelphia coming to Orlando, the Magic get to host LeBron, and then obviously the big game against the Detroit Pistons—the final game of the group stage of the Emirates NBA Cup for Group A. It's where the Magic are in and they will conclude there. And the Magic went 4-0 in cup play last season. So, we'll see if they can string together another successful run. We've had a different cup winner every year. It really hasn't been around long enough to have any team create a dynasty, but we haven't seen a dynasty in the normal playoffs either. We've had a different champion for nearly a decade now—the last eight years after the Knicks won it. So, a lot to pay attention to there to see if the Magic can find success again and get their get-back, so to speak, against the Pistons."
