Orlando Magic fans are touchy about their national television appearances.
In Paolo Banchero's first two seasons, after he was taken with the first pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, the Magic have made just one appearance on national TV. Everyone believed that getting the No. 1 pick and Rookie of the Year would merit more.
Certainly, making the Playoffs with 47 wins and being one of the best young teams in the league should have merited more attention on national TV. Indeed, Orlando received five national TV appearances for this season.
None felt bigger than the Dec. 3 matchup against the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden. The final game on the final day of group play in the NBA Cup seemed set to feature two top Eastern Conference teams battling for a spot in the NBA Cup's knockout round. This is a grand showcase on a stage the NBA wants to feature.
Then Paolo Banchero got injured, tearing his right oblique on Oct. 30. Without Orlando's proven All-Star, the NBA panicked. They could not pull the Nov. 1 game against the Cleveland Cavaliers off the schedule on such short notice. But they quickly pivoted on this marquee game, slotting the Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies into the spot.
That is proving to be a mistake on multiple fronts. The NBA still has time to restore its previous plans. Because the Magic are rolling and have an emerging star in Franz Wagner. And the Mavericks and Grizzlies are lagging, missing stars of their own.
More than that, both the Knicks and Magic enter their final NBA Cup games playing for both the lead in Group A and the East's Wild Card. Even if either team trips up in their third game, they should both be in play to advance to the knockout round. This is a game with massive stakes.
The Mavericks and Grizzlies?
Not only are Luka Doncic (a week with a wrist strain) and Ja Morant (upgraded to doubtful with a pelvic muscle strain that has kept him out since Nov. 6) missing games, but their group is already decided and only the Mavericks still have a realistic shot at the wild card.
The reasons the NBA had for switching the game seem flimsy now. And the stakes of the two games could not feel more different.
The NBA may be regretting its decision now.
Magic are still in the fight for the NBA Cup
The decision probably made some sense to the TV executives and the league. No one should fault the NBA for defaulting to two proven stars in Ja Morant and Luka Doncic over a team without its star in Paolo Banchero. Even if it is against the New York Knicks.
But the Dec. 3 game was the final day of the NBA Cup. It had stakes attached to it beyond the stars playing in it. The league needs to feature a game of relevance, preferably one for both teams.
The NBA was correct to predict in the offseason that East Group A's finale between the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks woul have some relevance. Group A was considered the most difficult group with the Philadelphia 76ers getting drawn into it. This seemed like a great chance to showcase two strong Eastern Conference teams and play a game with relevance.
Indeed, that is how things have played out so far this season in the NBA Cup.
Despite Paolo Banchero's absence, the Orlando Magic swept through their first two NBA Cup group play games, defeating the Charlotte Hornets by 25 points and the Philadelphia 76ers by 12 points. That put them with the best record and best point differential in the Eastern Conference.
They would be the top seed in the Eastern Conference!
The Knicks, despite struggles throughout the season integrating new pieces and figuring out their rotation, swept through games against the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets are not too far behind.
The other teams are not eliminated from winning the group. But they would need to overcome a significant hill. Even if either the Magic or the Knicks lose by a narrow margin in their third game, the Dec. 3 group play finale will determine who wins the group.
Record | Point Differential | |
|---|---|---|
1. Orlando | 2-0 | +37 |
2. New York | 2-0 | +14 |
3. Philadelphia | 1-2 | -9 |
4. Brooklyn | 1-2 | -16 |
5. Charlotte | 0-2 | -26 |
Even the team that loses that game on Dec. 3 will have a shot to advance out of the group stage. Both the Magic and Knicks are among the top teams in the entire Eastern Conference. So long as they suffer a narrow loss, it is likely the second-place team in Group A will advance.
The only wrench might be the Detroit Pistons defeating the Milwaukee Bucks when they play. And another team could get a huge win. But the Magic did their work with two double-digit wins to control their own destiny and give themselves a cushion for a close loss.
Record | Point Differential | |
|---|---|---|
1A. Orlando | 2-0 | +37 |
2B. Milwaukee | 2-0 | +26 |
3. New York | 2-0 | +14 |
4. Detroit | 2-0 | +2 |
5. Boston | 2-1 | +14 |
6C. Atlanta | 2-1 | -1 |
7. Cleveland | 1-1 | +15 |
8. Miami | 1-1 | +13 |
9. Chicago | 1-1 | -4 |
The standings make it clear the Magic and Knicks are setting up for a titanic showdown on Dec. 3. That is a game that is guaranteed to have meaning almost regardless of what happens in that third game.
Franz Wagner's emergence as a budding star should only add to the interest in this game. The NBA world was buzzing over him after his game-winner against the Los Angeles Lakers. And he is averaging 25.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game since Paolo Banchero's injury.
Among the games in the early window, only the Milwaukee Bucks' game in Detroit against the Detroit Pistons would have stakes for both teams.
The Mavs and Grizzlies are trailing in the NBA Cup
And that might be the best argument for the NBA making a return switch to send the TNT broadcast crew to Madison Square Garden.
The NBA should want to feature the most meaningful NBA Cup games on the final day of NBA Cup group play. The games on national TV for this showcase event need to have stakes. And as things stand, the stakes for the Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies are decided low.
With a win on Friday, the Golden State Warriors clinched first place in West Group C. That leaves the Dallas Mavericks, who held off a late rally from the Denver Nuggets, at 2-1 and the Memphis Grizzlies at 0-2 (and last in the conference with a -17 point differential) to fight for the Wild Card.
Just like the regular standings, the Western Conference is a jumbled mess with a lot of 1-1 teams. It is a lot harder to predict who is still in it and who is out with most teams halfway through group play. There is a lot still on the line. And the Grizzlies are not out even with a long hill to climb.
The only saving grace for the NBA TV executives is that Luka Doncic is expected to miss only a week and should be back for the Dec. 3 matchup. The Mavericks, thanks to a blowout win over the Grizzlies, also lead the standings for the wild card at 2-1 with a +41 point differential.
Dallas will have something to play for in that final game. It is not a game devoid of meaning—the 10 p.m. game on TNT between the Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors will not have any meaning for the NBA Cup aside from seeding for the Warriors.
It is clear though the most meaningful game on the final night of NBA Cup group play will be the one the Orlando Magic are playing in Madison Square Garden.
On that alone, the NBA and TNT made a mistake by deciding to skip out on the Orlando Magic's game against the New York Knicks.
If the Magic want a national TV game back then, they just have to advance out of the group stage. Maybe they will get to host a quarterfinal game and give themselves a chance to showcase their growth even without Paolo Banchero.