ORLANDO, Fla. - The Orlando Magic get their second preseason crack at the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night, and this one comes with a different feel. Instead of visiting Cleveland, the game shifts to the Kia Center for Orlando’s first home preseason matchup.
With only one home exhibition left after this, Friday against the Miami Heat, the Magic could be using this as one last extended tune-up before their Oct. 21 season opener at the Kia Center against the Atlanta Hawks. That makes this the closest thing to a dress rehearsal before the games start counting for real.
One of the biggest questions is whether Jalen Suggs will be available. He has missed the last two preseason games because of an illness, though head coach Sean Sweeney said he is "no longer under the weather." Even with that update, Suggs’ status remains uncertain, along with how much run he might get if he does suit up.
"I mean, whenever he's ready to play, it'll be great to get him out there," Sweeney said. "For us, it's first, it's your health.
Second, it's your conditioning, and then third, it's basketball. And so, you know, we always use that progression.
But it's good to see him out there, and you know, every time we see him, it's good."
Another thing worth watching is how Orlando handles its shot selection. That has been a major focus in camp, with the staff pushing the idea of hunting the right look no matter where it comes from. Across the first two preseason games, the Magic have taken 83 shots from 3-point range, and most of those attempts have come on open looks.
The point isn’t to chase numbers from deep. It’s to take the best available shot, and if that means the possession ends with a 3, the Magic are fine with it.
This also gives Orlando a chance to answer a loss. Preseason results do not always tell the whole story, but the Magic still want to clean up what went wrong the last time they saw the Cavaliers.
"I think just generally for us, we're looking at what we did well, what we need to do more of, what we struggle with, and what we need to do less of, and for us, you know, the results matter certainly," Sweeney said.
"But more than anything, it's how we did it? Why did we succeed?
What do we need to do differently if we didn't? And just continuing to drill down on that individually without our execution, then collectively as a group."
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET at the Kia Center. The game will air on NBCSN and stream on Peacock.
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Anthony Black is close to returning, and Jalen Suggs is also nearing a return, which only adds another layer to a bench battle that already feels unsettled. Orlando has been using these preseason reps to evaluate who can steady the second unit and who fits best alongside the starters, and the next few games should bring even more clarity once the backcourt gets healthier. [Read more 🡒]