Five games that could define rest of Magic season

Orlando hasn’t played Minnesota this season, so it will see them twice over the final two months, visiting Target Center on March 7 and closing out the home portion of the schedule against the Timberwolves on April 8. Anthony Edwards earned All-Star Game MVP honors and got more help at the trade deadline with Ayo Dosunmu arriving from Chicago and Mike Conley finding his way back on the roster. If the Magic are still playing to earn a top-four seed or even to stay out of the play-in, this final regular-season contest at Kia Center will be vital. The Wolves swept last season’s meetings and have won three of the last four vs. the Magic.

2. Last chance to see LeBron?: March 21

LeBron James may be on an NBA roster next season, perhaps even in the Eastern Conference. Still, there’s also a chance he’ll call it a career whenever the Lakers are done this season, so basketball fans in Central Florida should have this date circled. L.A. has dropped its last three against Orlando after putting together a seven-game win streak from 2021-23, and it will host this season’s first meeting on Feb. 24. The Lakers should have Luka Doncic back since he participated in All-Star and are also vying for a top-four seed out West, leading the Pacific Division.

3. Sunshine State Showdown, Part 5: March 14

Because the Heat ended up being Orlando’s quarterfinal foe in the NBA Cup, Florida’s teams have already played one another four times. One last regular-season date awaits and represents Miami’s final opportunity to avoid a humbling 0-for-5 showing. There hasn’t been a double-digit loss in the bunch and the teams have often appeared evenly matched, but the Magic have found a way to impose their will. Defeating the Heat one more time could serve as a knockout blow as far as the Southeast Division is concerned. Orlando is on a 6-2 run vs. Miami and leads the all-time series 81-65.

4. Rocketing back home post-break: Feb. 26

Since the Magic return to action following the All-Star break on the west coast against Sacramento, Phoenix and both L.A. teams, their next home game will be this matchup with the Houston Rockets. Orlando fell 116-108 against Milwaukee on Feb. 11 the last time it took the floor at Kia Center, so it will be over two weeks since it slipped to 18-10 in front of their fans, ending a four-game home win streak. Houston defeated Orlando 117-113 in OT on Nov. 16 after an Alperen Sengun hook at the buzzer rescued the Rockets from an upset loss. The Magic have dropped four straight against Houston, last winning on Oct. 25, 2023.

5. Litmus Test against East’s best: April 6

Unless the Pistons crash over the next six weeks, they’ll be the top seed in the Eastern Conference. The Magic have played at Little Caesar’s Arena twice, losing 135-116 on Oct. 29 before evening up the season series on Nov. 28 (112-109) thanks to 37 points from Desmond Bane. Detroit MVP candidate Cade Cunningham finished with a triple-double in the loss and has averaged 34.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 10.5 assists in the two contests against the Magic, so Jalen Suggs will look to do a better job on him in Orlando on March 1 and in this matchup, which is the team’s penultimate regular-season home date.

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