Key Matchups, Details of Orlando Magic's 2024-25 NBA Schedule

The Orlando Magic's entire schedule for the 2024-25 regular season was released on Thursday, and some matchups stick out instantly and provide intrigue.

May 5, 2024; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) hugs Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) after the Cavaliers beat the Magic in game seven of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The Orlando Magic's full slate of games is finally here after its full release on Thursday afternoon, and now comes the good part – the time spent looking forward to key matchups ahead this upcoming season.

The energy surrounding the franchise entering the new campaign is high. A 47-win campaign a season ago netted an Eastern Conference Playoff berth for the first time in four seasons and a Southeast division championship for the first time in five. Although it ended at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers after a seven-game slugfest in the first round of the playoffs, Orlando believes it is on the cusp of further progress.

To keep forging a path forward, the Magic will need to succeed in a top-heavy East and make noise among contenders across the Association.

As fans begin to plan their trips and secure their ticket packages, and talent spread across so many markets around the league, certain matchups of interest jump out upon first glance of the Magic's slate.

Without further ado, let's breakdown some of the key matchups on the radar this year.

Note: If you're on the hunt for the entire Magic schedule in 2024-25, CLICK HERE.

Magic, Cavaliers meet up in playoff rematch from a season ago

Orlando's offensive struggles reared their ugly heads too often throughout seven consecutive rock fights between them and the Cleveland Cavaliers, which brought an end to the breakthrough season for Jamahl Mosley's team in his third season as head coach.

Including the playoff series last year, the Cavaliers took the season series over the Magic, 6-5.

This season, they'll meet three times during the 82-game regular season (unless matched up in a knockout round of the NBA Cup): Nov. 1 at Cleveland (ESPN), Feb. 26 in Orlando (TNT) and March 16 at Cleveland.

Despite the postseason disappointment, Paolo Banchero's postseason debut was historically good – averaging 27.0 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists as a 21-year-old. As the young Magic find their way in another key season of building toward consistent contention, matching up with the team that put them away last year could show signs of how much further along Orlando is this upcoming year.

Magic get their shot at reigning champ Celtics

In practice, there is no better litmus test as to where a team stacks up against their competition than meetings with the reigning champions. That's especially true given the fact that the Boston Celtics – the league's far-and-away best team in 2023-24 and defending NBA champion – returns virtually everyone from their title-winning roster a season ago.

Orlando took one of three from Boston a season ago – the only time the Celtics came to downtown Orlando – and would've matched up had the Magic advanced to the second round of the playoffs.

This year, Orlando and Boston meet three times: Dec. 23 in Orlando, Jan. 17 at Boston and Apr. 9 at home.

To be the man you have to beat the man, or in this instance, you have to beat the team to be the team to beat. Heading into the upcoming calendar, that team is Boston.

Orlando versus the other potential players in the East

The new-look Philadelphia 76ers, fresh off a monumental offseason addition of Paul George via free agency and heavy roster turnover outside of Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, figure to contend near the top of the East should they remain healthy. Orlando and Philadelphia meet four times, including once in the NBA Cup – Nov. 15 in Orlando, Dec. 4 and 6 in Philadelphia and Jan. 12 in Orlando.

Perhaps Boston's toughest competition to come out of the East again this year, basketball is all the way back in Madison Square Garden as the New York Knicks enter one of their most anticipated seasons to date. The Villanova quartet, now complete after Mikal Bridges' addition to the Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo trio this offseason, meet the Magic three times this year, with one coming on national TV in the NBA Cup's group play finale – Dec. 3 at New York (TNT), Dec. 27 in Orlando and Jan. 6 at MSG.

Although the Milwaukee Bucks seem to be the forgotten team in the East equation, Giannis Antetokounmpo's pairing with Damian Lillard gets a second go-around and its first with Doc Rivers as the full-time head coach this season. Not to mention, Antetokounmpo is firmly in the argument for the league's best player when healthy. Orlando squares off with the Greek Freak-led Bucks three times – Jan. 10 in Orlando, Jan. 15 and March 8 in Milwaukee.

Sunshine State throwdowns

Orlando and its Floridian neighbor, the Miami Heat, will meet four times this season, including the Magic's season-opener: Oct. 23 at Miami, Dec. 21 and 26 in Orlando, and Jan. 27 back in Miami.

Rest of the Southeast division matchups

Orlando will defend its Southeast division crown this season, with the aforementioned Heat, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards being the competition.

• Atlanta: Feb. 10 in Orlando, Feb. 20 at Atlanta, April 8 in Orlando, April 13 at Atlanta
• Charlotte: Nov. 12 in Orlando (NBA Cup Group Play), Nov. 25 at Charlotte, Feb. 12 in Orlando, March 25 at Charlotte
• Washington: Nov. 10, Feb. 23 in Orlando; March 21, April 3 at Washington

Strength of schedule, stars coming to town, and other notes

• Orlando's schedule, in terms of opponent winning percentage, is the toughest of any team's slate that made the playoffs in 2023-24 (according to ESPN's NBA Today schedule release show). However, according to Presidual, the Magic have the t-2nd easiest slate in the entire league – even with the Indiana Pacers' and only tougher than the Denver Nuggets' schedules.
• LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers come to town Mon, March 24.
• Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors are in Orlando on Thu, Feb. 27.
• Victor Wembanyama visits Orlando Sat. Feb. 8 – a battle of two of the three most recent No. 1 overall picks.
• Orlando has two six-game homestands this season – one at Christmas and one in late February-early March – and one six-game road trip that spans the end of January to the early portion of February.
• The Magic have 13 back-to-backs this season, two less than the year prior. Of them, five are away-to-away, one is away-to-home, three are home-to-away and four are home-to-home.
• Of the Magic's first nine games of the season, seven of them are on the road.

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