Who: Orlando Magic (29-25) vs. Phoenix Suns (32-24)
When: 3:00pm Arizona Time
Where: Mortgage Matchup Center— Phoenix, Arizona
Watch: Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports
Listen: KMVP 98.7
The Phoenix Suns look to dust the rust off heading back home after a disappointing loss to the San Antonio Spurs the other day. Both teams coming into this contest have injuries to consider: in the previous contest, Devin Booker exited the game and did not return due to hip soreness.
For the Magic, they have seen an abundance of injuries this year, similarly to Phoenix, and this time, Franz Wagner is out.
This leaves both teams fighting for a must-win, one for the Suns to start this nice home stretch, and for the Magic, a win would aid their efforts to climb out of the play-in race out east. With them both meeting for the first time and being physical defensive teams, expect a fun afternoon game that you certainly do not want to miss. Dillon Brooks is also back from serving his one-game suspension, benefiting this team on the defensive end.
Probable Starters
Injury Report
Suns
- Grayson Allen — QUESTIONABLE (Right Ankle Sprain)
- Devin Booker — OUT (Right Hip Strain)
- Haywood Highsmith — OUT ( Right Knee Injury)
- Cole Anthony — OUT (Not With Team)
Magic
- Jalen Suggs — QUESTIONABLE (Back Spasms)
- Franz Wagner — OUT (Left High Ankle Sprain)
- Alex Morales — OUT (G-League Assignment)
- Colin Castleton — OUT (G-League Assignment)
What to Watch For
I mentioned this earlier, but the physicality and defense will be worth keeping an eye on. Both teams are very physical on that end and love to get under their opponents’ skin, playing with toughness and aggression on every play. With recent games in Phoenix leading to lengthy reviews of physical play, altercations, and ridiculous foul calls, I expect this to happen again this afternoon.
If the Suns get blessed with a subpar officiating crew (a hard ask in Adam Silver’s NBA), then we could see a classic. With Brooks also coming back, he will have some juice he wants to expend early on both ends. Therefore, I do expect him to be that relentless pest on defense and to take a big load offensively with no Booker.
Oh, I also cannot forget that the Magic just signed former Phoenix Sun Jevon Carter after the Bulls bought him out. This will be cool for him to return to the Valley (in an actual role) and for all his old fans to show out for him too!
Key to a Suns Win
The Suns are making their threes and taking command in that regard. The Magic are in the bottom third of the league for shooting threes as a team. Even with the addition of Desmond Bane, it was not enough to help them completely change their biggest weakness from last year, which still lingers.
Yes, the Suns have struggled from beyond the arc as of late, but I do think that the shooting will eventually even out, hopefully, with a necessary avalanche of threes in this game. With some three-point scorers out, big games from Gillespie and Brooks will be needed, but also Jalen Green, who looked comfortable in his latest contest.
Prediction Time
The Suns shake off the rust from Texas and come home to represent the home crowd the right way, with a hard-fought win.
Suns 112, Magic 104