5 Orlando Magic storylines to follow during the NBA Finals

The NBA Finals are here.

Game 1 on Thursday between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks will put the cap on a fantastic 2024 season. It will be a legacy title for one of the league's bright young stars at the very least. It could be the beginning of a dynasty, considering how dominant the Celtics were throughout the entire season.

The storylines for the NBA's offseason are not complete until a champion is crowned and everyone has a sense of who comes out on top and how they are built.

All of the world's basketball attention will fall on these final two teams as they fight to determine a champion.

The Orlando Magic have been eliminated from the playoffs for the last month, heading home after losing in Game 7 to the Cleveland Cavaliers (who lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round). That is a month to sit at home and begin planning their offseason.

As much as the Magic know now what they need to improve their roster. The Finals and the team that ultimately comes out on top for the NBA championship will give them some precious final piece of information on what it takes to win a championship—and perhaps ultimately the team they have to beat to win their own title soon.

The last piece of information everyone can receive comes in the NBA Finals.

It helps that this will be an interesting Finals to watch too. The Celtics have dominated the league all year and have been knocking on the door to winning a title for a long time. The Mavericks have come together this year, finally surrounding one of the best players in the league in Luka Doncic with a supporting cast to make the most of his extensive talents.

It should make for an intriguing matchup.

The Magic will be watching like everyone else will. And we will be too. Here is what to pay attention to as Magic fans—outside of the result—as the Magic watch the playoffs themselves.