The 10-game stretch that will make or break the Orlando Magic's season

The start of the 2024-25 season is getting closer with every day. With the Olympics officially over, there is nothing left to do but wait for Magic fans. Now, we can at least pour over the schedule and make predictions. 

The Magic are widely expected to have another successful regular season, but the Eastern Conference is still tough. The Boston Celtics are the team to beat, and the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers improved in the offseason. Indiana, Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Miami also all want to be in the playoff picture. So, the Magic cannot afford to lose any games they are supposed to win and need to step up against some of the big names out there. 

This 10-game stretch could make or break the Magic's season

The Magic's schedule in December is tough, featuring several of the perceived top teams in the league. It starts off easily enough with a game against the Brooklyn Nets on December 1. The Nets are clearly rebuilding now that they have traded Mikal Bridges, and the Magic should be the clear favorites in that game. 

After that, they will have to play nine tough games, however. It starts off with their NBA Cup game against the New York Knicks on TNT. This is a chance for the Magic to take on one of the better teams in the East on national TV. 

Following that, they will have to face Joel Embiid, Paul George, and the Philadelphia 76ers twice. Then, the Magic will have to take on two Western Conference contenders: the Phoenix Suns and the Oklahoma City Thunder. The game against the Thunder should be especially interesting as it features two of the best young teams in the league and the top picks from the 2022 NBA Draft. 

Back to battling Eastern Conference contenders, the Magic will then move on to play the Miami Heat, the Boston Celtics, the Heat again, and the New York Knicks. The Heat were not as good as expected last season, but you can never count them out. With that in mind, the Magic will have to play four games against Eastern Conference contenders, including the best team in the league.  

This will be a tough stretch with games against several strong teams and might very well make or break the Magic's season. If they can get several wins, it is a chance to announce to the rest of the league that they have arrived and are ready to compete with the best. If they lose several games over this stretch, it will undoubtedly hurt their place in the standings and chase for homecourt advantage in the playoffs.