It has only been five days of training camp and working together, but the Orlando Magic are ready to see someone else.
The Magic can play a pretty physical and demanding style. Hitting each other can get tiresome. They are eager to see another jersey on the other side -- even if it is another physical team in the Miami Heat.
The first preseason game, especially one that comes so early in the training camp calendar, is less about the results of the game or even matching up with an opponent. It is more about taking what was learned in the first week of camp and applying it on the court.
Nobody expects it to be perfect. But the team wants to see where it is at.
"I think it's going to be a great test for us," coach Jamahl Mosley said after practice Friday. "You go against each other every day in practice. The competitive nature is there. But to see how you stack up against a very well-coached, very tough, defensive-minded team. I think it is very good to go over there and test what we have been able to do."
The Magic will focus, of course, on its main principles. The team is expected to defend with the ferocity that has defined this team. But the team has a clear focus too. It wants to play faster and with more intensity.
If anything has changed for the Magic, aside from expecting to shoot the ball significantly better, they are also expecting to get out in transition a lot more. That may be the thing to watch for in Saturday's opener.
Pace is the thing thing to watch
It is hard to get a feel for how the Orlando Magic will look through the early days of training camp. The Magic are expected to be among the best teams defensivley again, and that is indeed an internal expectation too.
Jamahl Mosley and the players have spoken a lot about an emphasis of playing faster and making quicker decisions. They hope they can create more movement and energy by playing quicker.
If there is anything to watch intently during the Magic's first preseason game, it will be whether they can apply this new mentality or fall back into old habits.
"I think we've talked about how we can play a little faster, convert in transition, the quick decision-making," Mosley said after practice Friday. "Defensively, our guys understanding our system of what we're trying to accomplish. Those things are going to be key for us as we play a very good Miami Heat team."
The Magic were second in the league in opponent turnover rate last season, but finished last in the league in pace (possessions per 48 minutes) and 25th in fastbreak points per game. There is a feeling the Magic leave a lot of points on the board by not taking advantage of the opportunities to score their defense creates.
Just generally, the Magic want players making quicker decisions. Moving faster gives the defense less time to get set and to take use their natural advantages.
With four players who can handle the ball and get downhill, the Magic are trying to take better advantage of their roster. But proof will come in how they apply this to the games. Saturday's game is a test to build off what they have worked on in camp.
Extension of camp
Do not take much from the preseason opener as gospel, however. It has been only five days of camp, after all.
The team is still coming together. And the first preseason game can be a bit sloppy with players still gaining game shape and playing together for the first time.
Jamahl Mosley has often called the preseason an extension of training camp. While coaches cannot stop games to correct mistakes, the idea is they want to see the team take what was learned in practice and apply it in games. It gives them the chance to see where they are at and make adjustments.
For the Magic's new players this is their first chance to be on the floor together outside of a camp setting. Building that chemistry is vital in these preseason games.
"I feel like I'm adjusting well," Tyus Jones said after practice Friday. "Just figuring it out. Figuring out the system, figuring out the guys. Just getting the chemistry down and building. Each day is getting better and better and more comfortable and more familiar. That's what training camp is for. We'll continue to focus and try to get better every single day."
Everyone is eagerly anticipating Desmond Bane's official debut in a Magic uniform. Tyus Jones, too, will play a key role, likely starting in Jalen Suggs' place as Suggs continues to rehab from his injury.
Everyone is eager to get back on the court and play a game. Everyone wants to see how this thing works. These games are valuable for the live reps.
The carryover from practice is the most important aspect to see. The team is still more focused on being ready for the season opener on Oct. 22 against the same Heat than on the game Saturday in San Juan.
"You use it as an extension of training camp," Mosley said after practice Friday. "It's all going to be a build up. I think that's the big portion of that for us. Just building up guys' minutes, guys' conditioning as the preseason goes on for long."
For now, the Magic do not have many injuries to report. Jalen Suggs and Moe Wagner are still working their way back from long-term injuries. Both Suggs and Wagner continue to participate in non-contact drills throughout camp.
It is safe to assume the Magic will not play its starters their normal minutes, although typically starters will play into the second half, but rarely into the fourth quarter. This game will still be an opportunity for players like rookies Jase Richardson and Noah Penda to get comfortable on an NBA floor.
This game will be a checkpoint for the team in the early part of the season. It is a place to keep growing from and see if they can apply what they have done in camp for the last week.