Jalen Suggs believes Magic have 'window' to make title run

The Magic have climbed to a top-3 seed in East after a troubling start.

Dec 5, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4) reacts after a basket against the Miami Heat in the third quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

16 seasons, 1,349 games, 325,560 minutes; whatever metric you want to use, it's been a long time since the Orlando Magic last played in an NBA Finals game.

Of course, winning the NBA Title is the ultimate goal, something Orlando has never accomplished. To win it, you have to get to it first -- and that's been a tough ask for the Magic over their franchise's 35 seasons to this point.

That doesn't mean it's never not the goal. And if you ask Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs, they believe they're in their current window of making a title run.

"That's part of the evolution that I've got to experience in this league," Suggs said on a recent NBA Today appearance. "It's way more fun (competing). There's much more on the line, there's much more responsibility -- not pressure, just responsibility -- in terms of holding yourself to a standard for the goal that you want to achieve.

"I think all of us are really intentional in terms of we have a chance -- a window -- to make a run, the same way (the Indiana Pacers) took advantage of theirs last year. And then once you get there, it just comes down to winning four games before the other team does.

"We all have that self-confidence and belief that we can put it together. ... If you think anything else, it'll be unachievable."

"All of [the Magic] are really intentional in terms of we have a chance, a window to make a run." 🏆

Magic guard Jalen Suggs joins NBA Today to discuss Orlando's finals aspirations as a young team on the rise 👀 pic.twitter.com/sAeNT9gdgU

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 12, 2025

Magic have found stride after slow start:

After a dismal 1-4 start, the Magic have won 14 of their last 20 and are tied for the No. 3 seed in the East at 15-10. They are 2.5 games back of the New York Knicks -- with the opportunity to cut that deficit Saturday in the Emirates Cup semifinals -- and 4.5 back of the Detroit Pistons.

The Magic have dealt -- and are currently dealing with -- injuries to their top-2 stars in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. They have played the league's ninth-hardest schedule with the 11th-best adjusted offensive rating and 3rd-best defense, according to Dunks & Threes.

Orlando has done a great job weathering the storm. Desmond Bane, coming off his third 37-point game of the season, has found his groove offensively; Anthony Black, Tristan da Silva and Goga Bitadze have all stepped up off the bench, as well. It hasn't been perfect, but as the maturation process has taken forth, the idea that they can compete in a wide-open East has become more than legitimate.

The Magic will take the court inside T-Mobile Arena against the New York Knicks on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 5:30 p.m. EST.

More Orlando Magic Stories:

Desmond Bane keeps etching name into Magic lore offensively

Desmond Bane destroys Heat as the Magic advance to NBA Cup semifinals

This day in calendar is not a kind day for Franz Wagner