Paolo Banchero, Magic face tough tests on four-game road trip

Orlando is hitting the west coast for the week before Christmas.

Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane brings the ball up court during the second half against the Miami Heat. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The Orlando Magic are heading back out to the west coast for a four-game road trip that will span nearly a week.

Here's a look at the games they will face and what to expect:

Denver Nuggets

The Magic don't have an easy start to the road trip as they take on the Nuggets at Ball Arena in Denver. The Nuggets are coming off of an overtime win against the Houston Rockets, proving that they are one of the best teams in the league.

Nikola Jokic has been one of the top five best players in the league, so the Magic will have to do their best to contain him if they want to start their road trip off with a win.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic reacts following a score in the second half against the Orlando Magic. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Utah Jazz

The Jazz are arguably the worst team on this four-game slate, but they are a team that can play spoiler on any given night. The Jazz play tough against a lot of teams in the league, and they can hang with some of the best of them.

This means the Magic will have to be on their toes as they try to grab a win in the altitude.

Golden State Warriors

The Magic are looking for a series sweep against the Warriors, who lost when they came to Orlando last month.

The Warriors are a better team when they play in San Francisco, so the Magic have to be ready for a tougher matchup than what they got in the Kia Center. If the Magic can play like they did against the Warriors in Orlando, they should have a chance to steal a road win.

Portland Trail Blazers

The Magic beat the Blazers back on November 10 in Orlando when Desmond Bane made a game-winning three-point shot at the buzzer.

The Blazers are a team that won't go down easy against very many teams, especially at home. So the Magic have to be prepared for anything and everything. It won't be easy because it will be the second game of a back-to-back and the final game of a long road trip, but the Magic have to lock in and pick up a winnable game.

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