NBA adjusts schedule to bring Knicks to Orlando on Sunday

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic will host a game against the New York Knicks at 6 p.m. Sunday that was not on their original schedule.

The game at Kia Center was announced after both Orlando and New York lost their NBA Cup knockout-round games this week and needed to play an additional game to fill in a hole in their 82-game regular-season schedules. The NBA only schedules teams for 80 games to leave room for all potential outcomes in the NBA Cup. If the Magic or Knicks had won their games, they would have had an NBA Cup semifinal game instead. The NBA had to wait for the results of Wednesday night’s NBA Cup quarterfinal between the Atlanta Hawks and Knicks to know which team to schedule and the location of the game. 

Neither team has a game scheduled before then.

Heading into Sunday’s upcoming game, the Magic are in third place in the Eastern Conference standings with a 17-10 record, one game ahead of the fourth-place Knicks (15-10). 

Orlando has been playing without 2023 NBA All-Star Paolo Banchero since he tore his right oblique on Oct. 30 in a game against the Chicago Bulls. Then, on Dec. 6, the Magic lost forward Franz Wagner, who had been leading them in scoring since Banchero was hurt, to the same injury in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. So far, the Magic are 1-1 without both Banchero and Franz Wagner.

Tickets for Sunday’s game went on sale Thursday. You can buy them online or by calling 407-896-2442.

For interested fans who can’t make it to the game live, it will be televised on FanDuel Sports Network Florida.