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The 5 most important Orlando Magic games in the 2024-25 season

The Orlando Magic are less than a month away from the beginning of training camp. There is a lot of work to do before the season begins on Oct. 23. But already, there are a few games that are rising in their levels of importance.

By Philip Rossman-Reich

The Orlando Magic have a lot to look forward into the 2025 season. There are already games on the schedule that look bigger than the others.
The Orlando Magic have a lot to look forward into the 2025 season. There are already games on the schedule that look bigger than the others. / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
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3. Chance at the Champs: at Boston Celtics (Jan. 17)

One of the overarching themes of this season for the Orlando Magic will be about the Magic proving their place in the league.

Yes, Orlando reached the playoffs last season and got some recognition. But how much of this offseason has been spent questioning this team and its key players?

Is Franz Wagner worth the max contract he signed? Is Paolo Banchero efficient enough to be the kind of star you can build a championship team around? These are the kind of questions that have annoyed Magic fans.

Getting big questions like this asked about your team is part of what it means to be a contender. It is not always couched as criticism—even if Magic fans got very defensive about it this offseason.

Orlando is still trying to prove itself as a future contender. Nobody is quite ready to say the team is there.

There is one opponent that defeating and playing well against changes everything. Defeat the defending champions and you get viewed a little differently. Considering the Orlando Magic swept the Denver Nuggets last year, maybe that is not entirely true.

But the Orlando Magic have been a difficult team for the Boston Celtics in the past. Even Celtics legends and fans acknowledge that. The Celtics know the Magic can be a tough matchup. And Orlando's win last year in the In-Season Tournament (albeit with Kristaps Porzingis missing the second half) was a major victory for this young Orlando team.

The Magic will get a nationally televised game against the Celtics on Jan. 17 at TD Garden to show whether they are entering the contender tier of teams.

This is a game to circle for that reason. Just as it is because it comes in a particularly difficult stretch of the season. Orlando is heading to Boston after a trip to Milwaukee. The Magic have to show they are able to step up and win these big games.

There are none bigger than this opponent.

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