The Sixers have had a rollercoaster of a preseason, and it all comes to a close on Friday night when they travel to Orlando to face the Magic in their final exhibition game before the regular season.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ preseason comes to a close tonight. After this, everything counts.
Preseason games before an 82-game regular season are something a lot of fans skip. And that’s understandable, especially after it was announced that Joel Embiid would not be participating. That being said, this preseason brought a lot with it, both good and bad, in ways that are going to be something to watch as we start playing games that actually matter. From Sixers depth looking pretty damn good top to bottom, to Paul George suffering a bone bruise last week, to Jared McCain having pulmonary contusions after taking a nasty fall earlier this week, to how good players like Tyrese Maxey look… it’s just been a bit of a rollercoaster, as seemingly everything always is with the Sixers.
Their final exhibition game on Friday night takes them down south to the Orlando Magic. The 2024-25 Magic are a young NBA squad, with 14 of their 21 players currently listed on their roster age 25 or younger. The same is true of just seven of 17 Sixers players currently on their roster for comparison. That doesn’t mean Orlando doesn’t have some serious talent, however. Paolo Banchero returns for Orlando for his third NBA season after averaging over 20 points per game for the last two years. His debut season, he wins Rookie of the Year. Year two, he’s an All-Star. Sets the bar pretty high for year three.
By Banchero’s side, crucial teammates like Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr., Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs all return. Plus, they’ll have all the experience and support of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope this season after the two-time NBA champion left the Denver Nuggets and joined the Magic this offseason. I would not sleep on this Magic team this season.
With the way this preseason has gone for Philadelphia, one can imagine the goal for tonight is to just stay loose and continue to get into the game groove without suffering any further injuries. Fingers crossed.
Tonight is the last chance to check it all out before things get real. Well, as long as you have NBA League Pass. Sigh…
The Sixers and Magic tip off at 7 p.m. ET.
Game Details
Who: Philadelphia 76ers at Orlando Magic
When: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Kia Center, Orlando, FL
Watch: NBA League Pass
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers