The five most important Orlando Magic games in 2026-27

These are the dog days of the offseason, and it will take around seven weeks until media day, which is when things start to heat up. For those looking to get their hoops fix in, the WNBA is excellent and NBA league pass subscribers always have the classic games section to relive or learn something new. Even today, Shaquille O'Neal's 1992 debut, Game 6 versus the Chicago Bulls in 1995 and Tracy McGrady's 62 digits against the Washington Wizards are still worth checking out.

For now, the Magic’s schedule isn’t out yet, but matchups are building up already. There’s lots of expectations for them in 2026-27, even if the national media isn’t paying as much attention. Let’s examine the five most important to look out for.

At Detroit

The Magic let a 3-1 lead slip through their grasp against the Detroit Pistons, and failed to come out of the first round, where they have been condemned since 2010-11. Considering how this was the fourth time in its history that Orlando was eliminated by Detroit and how both teams are in the same tier, a rivalry could be brewing.

One thing the Pistons did in round one was let Paolo Banchero take threes, which had mixed results. Detroit will presumably still have a top-notch defense next year, and Banchero was affected by the coverages when he attacked at his favorite spots in the playoffs, so he needs to compensate for it by hurting them from the perimeter. The next step in his evolution is getting to a point where he nails them at above the league average (36.0). If he starts hitting them more often on the dribble, the defense will be forced to set earlier pick up points, possibly opening up his dribble game.

May 10, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks on against the New York Knicks in the second quarter during game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

At Philadelphia

The 76ers have tons of hype after trading for Jaylen Brown and signing LeBron James, to combine with a group that won 45 games. They bring so much to the table that the team should still remain a threat if Joel Embiid’s past injuries flare up again. For now, the 76ers are a top-four East team, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they start off well and are much mightier by the end of the regular season.

Even if Embiid is who he was last year, that’s still a darn good player because he can hit perimeter jumpers. On top of that, Tyese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe are built for speed, which makes them a lethal combo with James’ playmaking. Teams with this many threats put lots of stress on a defense, and this should be a solid test for coach Sean Sweeney’s new scheme.

Another thing to pay attention to would be how the player guarded by Brown does offensively. Brown is a former Finals MVP, who can crank up his defense, especially in big matchups.

Who knows if this game will be in prime time, but it will feel that way for Magic fans.

At New York

The defending champions always get every team's best shot, and the Magic will be tested, trying to contain such a potent attack. The playoffs highlighted how Karl-Anthony Towns had playmaking skills, and this feature takes pressure off Jalen Brunson to stay fresh late in the game.

Guarding screen rolls is the hardest thing for a big man to do because they often have to guard two players at once. Wendell Carter Jr. has shown he’s a good defender, but guarding this action including Towns is more difficult than stopping it with Jalen Duren.

On top of that, the Knicks were sharp in transition in the playoffs, scoring 1.25 points per possession, yet picked up the pace ninth-most of 16 teams. It would be nice to see how much the Magic could keep the Knicks playing in the half court.

Jun 13, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots as New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby (8) and Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) defend during game five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

At home versus the San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs were going to make this list by virtue of being the western champs, but they’ll be better next year, too. Keep in mind that the 2025-26 squad won 70.7 percent of its road games (29-12) plus had a 26-4 record against the East.

The Spurs are a box-office attraction because they have a serious squad around Victor Wembanyama, who will eventually ascend to the best player in the world. Lots of rival fans league-wide probably expect them to come into their building and win. The Spurs may have even fixed some of their issues in the non-Wemby minutes by signing Tobias Harris, if experimenting with him in as a backup big works.

In this matchup, most people are going to pay attention to what Wemby does to Orlando‘s offense from the back line, but the main thing on my mind is how the perimeter players respond to Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper’s pressure.

At home versus the Oklahoma City Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder have averaged 63 wins over the past three seasons, and they beat the Magic in 2025-26 by 36 and five points. Jalen Williams, who is their second-best player, didn’t even play on those nights.

The Thunder have sustained excellence for a nice stretch, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a nightmare to guard because he gets to the line so easily. He didn’t go as hard in the first game against Orlando because it was a blowout, but he took 11 free throws in the second win. One of the important tests against this team will be to see how the Magic can defend him without fouling.

Add us as a preferred source on Google