Meet the Opponent: Rematch with Knicks Opens Magic’s Lengthy Homestand

ORLANDO, Fla. – Sunday night, the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks meet for the first time since the Dec. 3 beatdown in Madison Square Garden. Tipoff from the Kia Center is at 6 p.m. ET.

In that previous contest – one that had an extra sense of pomp and circumstance given that a national TV audience was watching a pivotal NBA Cup group play matchup – New York quickly overwhelmed its visitor and made victory certain by the early portion of the third quarter.

The Magic are a different team than they were just a week and a half ago. They’ve since lost Franz Wagner to a torn right oblique – the same ailment that’s kept Paolo Banchero out of action for a month and a half. Wagner scored 30 points in that contest versus New York in early December.

Yet Orlando has lumbered forward, splitting results versus Phoenix and Milwaukee as they continue to adjust to life without either of their star forwards on the floor together. For the Magic’s third-ranked defense, the task of containing the Knicks’ second-ranked offense will be mighty.

But, the Magic get the home-court advantage of the Kia Center – a building they haven’t lost in since March of last season. They stand as the NBA’s last unbeaten on their home floor – and Sunday’s contest tips off a seven-game homestand that closes out 2024 in the city beautiful.

MORE: Magic-Knicks Injury Report – who’s in, who’s out for Orlando and New York Sunday night?

New York boasts one of the most well-rounded offensive attacks in the league, and their defense has improved over the last few weeks from bottom third in the league to near-median numbers.

In order to avoid a repeat of the first matchup between these two teams, limiting stars like Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns will be key. But, as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said Saturday, they’ll also have to stick to their gameplan.

Last time, that was to run the NBA’s second-best three-point shooting team (by percentage) off the line and force tough twos. But the Magic offense couldn’t keep pace when the Knicks made 15 threes and had six scorers at or over 11 points.

Orlando was handily beaten in the first matchup of strength-on-strength. They’ll look to turn the tide on Sunday evening.

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