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The top 10 games of the Orlando Magic’s 2023 season

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Paolo Banchero has turned in a stellar rookie year. But the Orlando Magic need him to break through a rookie wall to make a postseason push. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Paolo Banchero has turned in a stellar rookie year. But the Orlando Magic need him to break through a rookie wall to make a postseason push. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /
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Orlando Magic, Jalen Suggs
The Orlando Magic scored some impressive victories on the home floor during a seven-game homestand. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

Top 10 games of the Orlando Magic’s 2023 season

5. Weird Streak — vs. Golden State Warriors (Nov. 3)

Final. 129. 41. 130. 38

This is still one of the weirdest winning streaks in the NBA.

The Golden State Warriors have not won at the Amway Center since 2018. The Orlando Magic seem to have the perennial championship contender’s number at the Amway Center. Orlando did get a rare sweep of Golden State this year (thanks to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson sitting out the game in San Francisco, it was still a rare home loss at Chase Center).

The game at the Amway Center though was a much-needed reprieve for a young Magic team in the middle of its injuries and a long losing stretch. And the way Orlando pulled out the win in front of a raucous and eager sell-out crowd at the Amway Center was extremely special.

Once again, Jalen Suggs proved his clutch bona fides. Just as he would do in Chicago a few weeks later.

Suggs hit several big shots down the stretch to give the Magic the lead. Then he ripped Stephen Curry twice to get key stops at the end of the game. This was his game to shine and gain confidence. If he ever lost it.

Suggs scored 26 points and dished out nine assists in a rare start for him this year. He had four steals as he continued to build his defensive reputation. Paolo Banchero scored 22 points. And Chuma Okeke continued to dominate Golden State with 16 points in perhaps his best game of the season.

The Warriors left Orlando heaping a lot of praise on the young team the Magic were building. They knew they had some bad history in the Amway Center but Draymond Green noted this group felt different.

The Magic were not the team they would become quite yet. They were still too injured and struggling to put together a functioning roster. But even the elite teams could see what the magic were building and how dangerous it would be in a very short time period.

This was proof the Magic were on the right track if they kept at it.