Knicks Need Adjustments to Avoid Third-Straight Loss vs. Magic

For the third time this season, the New York Knicks are facing off against the Orlando Magic, seeking their first win against the Eastern Conference rival.

Both teams are gearing up for the NBA Cup quarterfinals, taking place in their next game, but they still have one more game before getting to that point. The matchup against the Magic should give the Knicks a chance to get revenge from the previous two meetings, both of which ended in an Orlando win.

When the two teams played at Madison Square Garden, Paolo Banchero suffered a groin strain that held him out for 10 games. He returned in Orlando's last game against the Miami Heat, which resulted in a one-point win for the Magic.

The Knicks will have to make adjustments if they are going to beat the Magic after falling in the last two games.

New York Knicks guard Josh Hart fouls Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Knicks Get Shot at Revenge vs. Magic

The Magic are coming into the game having played close in each of their last four contests. All of their games for the past week have been decided by five points or less, with Orlando coming out on top in three of them.

This means that a game between the two teams could be another close one, which is a bit different than how the first two matchups went. In New York, the Magic punched the Knicks in the mouth early and it never shook the other direction. In Orlando, the Knicks kept up with the Magic in the first half, but that wasn't the case in the second half, resulting in a 12-point loss.

The Magic are a dangerous team because they can win in a number of different ways. Their biggest weakness in three-point scoring has been neutralized in the last couple of weeks. While they shoot just 34.4% from beyond the 3-point line, the Knicks struggled to defend that shot in the previous two meetings.

In their last game against the Heat, the Magic made 12 of 34 for 35.3 percent from distance. Desmond Bane has helped in this department, as well as internal improvement from players like Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner.

Ultimately, the Knicks have to be prepared for a physical game. The Magic still pride themselves on the defensive end of the floor, so the Knicks need to match their energy if they want to grab their first win of the season against Orlando.

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