76ers vs. Magic: 3 Things to Watch

The Orlando Magic face the Philadelphia 76ers for the second time in 72 hours at the Amway Center.

Jeremy Brener | Nov 27, 2022

76ers vs. Magic: 3 Things to Watch /

The Orlando Magic looks to rebound from its loss Friday night in a rematch against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Here's a look at three things to watch for in Sunday's matchup ...

Markelle's Back?

Markelle Fultz could make his season debut Sunday after missing the first 19 games with a fractured big toe.

Fultz's return would give the Magic much-needed balance and a guard who can relieve Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner from running the offense.

If Fultz plays, don't expect him to start. When he returned from a torn ACL late last season, he came off the bench in 15 of the 18 games he played. Fultz should not play too much in his first NBA action since April, but any minutes from him is better than none.

Defending The Three-Point Line

With James Harden, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey out for the 76ers, Philadelphia relies a lot on its role players, most of whom are three-point specialists.

In Friday's game, Philly knocked down 14 of 36 threes compared to Orlando's 9 of 35.

If the Magic can defend the perimeter better tonight, the chances for a win increase tremendously.

Another Notch

Paolo Banchero spoke postgame about how the team needed to turn the intensity up "another notch." It's been a common criticism this season for the Magic, but it becomes more important when playing a team just as injured at home.

The injuries on both sides should make things a pretty even match. In fact, the Magic is favored by SI Sportsbook to win by 2.5 points, meaning a single shot could disrupt the outcome and Orlando's intensity could be the difference between winning and losing.

The 76ers and Magic tip off at 6 p.m. at the Amway Center.

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Published Nov 27, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.