The 76ers are on the rise again, and the Magic have felt it twice in three days, splitting 1–1. But what will hurt them most is the indefinite absence of at least a month for their leading scorer, Franz Wagner.
The Suns, for their part, remain without Durant, an absence whose severity needs no explanation.
Date and Time for Magic vs. Knicks
Date: December 3.
Time: These are the start times for Magic vs. Knicks according to each time zone.
| Spain (mainland), France, and Italy | 00:30 |
| Dominican Republic, USA (Boston, New York, and Miami), Puerto Rico, and Venezuela | 18:30 |
| Mexico (Central), El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua | 17:30 |
| Mexico (Pacific) and USA (Los Angeles) | 15:30 |
| Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay | 20:30 |
| Colombia, Ecuador, USA (Chicago and Texas), Peru, and Panama | 18:30 |
Venue: Kia Center (Orlando).
Starting Lineups for Magic vs. Suns
| Magic | Suns |
| Tristan da Silva | Tyus Jones |
| Wendell Carter Jr. | Bradley Beal |
| Goga Bitadze | Devin Booker |
| Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | Royce O’Neale |
| Jalen Suggs | Mason Plumlee |
Latest on the Magic: injuries and current form
Without Banchero or Wagner, there are two possibilities: The Magic turn their outstanding defense into an even more impenetrable fortress to win games, or someone from their versatile rotation emerges as an offensive leader to fill part of the scoring void left by Wagner, who has been their top scorer in eight of the last nine contests.
The Suns, on the other hand, rank among the league’s ten worst defenses, and without Nurkic or Durant, their weaknesses are even more evident. That’s a breath of fresh air for an offense that can be a bit clunky, giving it room to operate.
Player to Watch: Mo Wagner
With Banchero and Wagner out, expect offensively aggressive role players like Cole Anthony or rookie Tristan da Silva to step up and boost their stats. However, the real spotlight should be on the Suns’ thin frontcourt and on Mo Wagner, one of the most efficient big men in the league at maximizing his points per minute, helping make the Magic backcourt the most efficient in the NBA.
Latest on the Suns: injuries and current form
They have a Big Three that becomes a Big Hole without Kevin Durant, breaking the synergy between the other two. Arizona’s team relies heavily on their 38-year-old star, and without him, defeat is almost a given (1–8 without Durant). That needs to shift dramatically if they don’t want the volatility of their mega-project to hinge on the temporary absence of just one player.
In the loss to the Miami Heat, Royce O’Neale ended up as their leading scorer, which is not necessarily bad as long as their other two stars play close to their usual level. That hasn’t been the case, and given Orlando’s formidable defense, they’ll need their best version or they’ll struggle mightily.
Player to Watch: Devin Booker
Without KD, he’s undoubtedly the Suns’ guiding light, far above a fading star like Beal.
Over his last ten games, he has averaged 26.8 points and 5.8 assists, though his shooting percentages leave room for improvement.
Magic vs. Suns: Head-to-Head History
Their history spans 70 matchups, with Phoenix winning 41 and Orlando taking 29. However, the last two have gone to the Florida squad.
Predictions for Magic vs. Suns
No clear leader. If the Magic defense plays its usual game (in fact, without Wagner, if Jonathan Isaac sees more minutes, that wall might be even taller), Booker and Beal won’t be able to do it all through isolations alone. They’ll need to involve shooters like Grayson Allen and Tyus Jones to get reasonably open looks.
For the Magic, playing at home, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a big night—at least in scoring—from a dynamic guard like Anthony, who probably won’t face a top-level defender in his isolations. Ball movement should be even faster than usual without players who can dominate off the dribble. Still, it’ll be interesting to see how many responsibilities Jalen Suggs takes on offensively.
Where to Watch Magic vs. Suns
The Orlando Magic vs. Phoenix Suns game will be available in Spain through the NBA League Pass subscription.
