2025-2026 Preseason Game 2: Orlando Magic (1-0) v. Philadelphia 76ers (0-2) - 7pm ET

[fendilim]

Penda is bulky

[DusterBuster]

My wild take from preseason, if Magic stay healthy, I think they are the #1 team in the east.

[DiplomaticMagic]

Biggest things Ive noticed

1. Wendell looks great, he just looks so much more agile. Like last season, he played like he weighed 320 pounds, now hes much quicker and active. Middy looks good too.

2. TDS looks like a complete different player as well, he also looks so much more quicker and more confident.

3. ABs jumper looks better, but ball handling still looks too stiff to be a lead guard. Jett looks more like an NBA player body wise, but still doesnt do anything great on the floor.

4. Paolos defense has looked greatly improved.

5. Whats up with JI only getting 4th qtr minutes?

6. Jase looks better than Tyus. I much rather play hum and have him learn from Tyus.

7. When do we get worried about Banes shot? I know its only preseason but how many good 3pt shooters came here and forgot how to shoot?

[drsd]

clearly starters not in midseason form yet but the bench looking good

Starters 1-10 from three (10%)
Bench 10-22 from three (46%)

[drsd]

My thoughts: Orlando will never be a three-point shooting team and this team is built to manufacture three-pointers the old-school way: from And-1s.

In this game, the Magic got to the line an amazing 42 times and hit 37 charity shots. Any game with 25+ made FTs is a probable win. The Magic forced Philly to commit 29 fouls. That makes everything easier for the Magic on both sides of the ball (players being benched)

As a traditionalist, I would rather the Magic was an And-1 team over a long-ball team. It's more fun. But you know what's really fun? Winning.

[jezzerinho]

I really like what I've seen from Bane, don't know what the gripe is with him. He hasn't shot the 3 well, but hey, welcome to Orlando.

I do too. And I’ve watched sparingly. How could you not be happy? It’s preseason and he’s integrating to a new team. I think some of you just look for something to complain about because it’s your comfort zone.

Like it or not, 4 first round picks and a near-star salary is going to heighten expectations of Bane. Given it's preseason, it doesnt matter a bit if hes not on fire yet.

But, in the opposite case where he exploded out the blocks looking like the offensive weapon he is, we'd be very happy bunnies slapping ourselves on the backs for a great deal. Thats just the way it is.

[Strayanmagicfan]

My thoughts: Orlando will never be a three-point shooting team and this team is built to manufacture three-pointers the old-school way: from And-1s.

In this game, the Magic got to the line an amazing 42 times and hit 37 charity shots. Any game with 25+ made FTs is a probable win. The Magic forced Philly to commit 29 fouls. That makes everything easier for the Magic on both sides of the ball (players being benched)

As a traditionalist, I would rather the Magic was an And-1 team over a long-ball team. It's more fun. But you know what's really fun? Winning.

It's easy to say that now, but when we are the easiest team in the league to gameplan against and teams pack the paint we have to be able to punish with shooting from the outside

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[SOUL]

I really like what I've seen from Bane, don't know what the gripe is with him. He hasn't shot the 3 well, but hey, welcome to Orlando.

I do too. And I’ve watched sparingly. How could you not be happy? It’s preseason and he’s integrating to a new team. I think some of you just look for something to complain about because it’s your comfort zone.

Like it or not, 4 first round picks and a near-star salary is going to heighten expectations of Bane. Given it's preseason, it doesnt matter a bit if hes not on fire yet.

But, in the opposite case where he exploded out the blocks looking like the offensive weapon he is, we'd be very happy bunnies slapping ourselves on the backs for a great deal. Thats just the way it is.

Meh, I guarantee most people don't remember preseasons from even a year ago. He's playing pretty passive and feeling out his teammates - that's what this time is for.

The amount of people "worried" on Reddit about Bane is laughable lol. Would mean nothing if he starts preseason on fire and then sucks in the regular season.

[basketballRob]

Bane and Tyus just don't seem like a good fit in the starting lineup. I think I'd rather see AB start, but you can't have both Jase and Tyus playing together.

I actually like AB/Jase more than Tyus/Bane.

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[basketballRob]

I do too. And I’ve watched sparingly. How could you not be happy? It’s preseason and he’s integrating to a new team. I think some of you just look for something to complain about because it’s your comfort zone.

Like it or not, 4 first round picks and a near-star salary is going to heighten expectations of Bane. Given it's preseason, it doesnt matter a bit if hes not on fire yet.

But, in the opposite case where he exploded out the blocks looking like the offensive weapon he is, we'd be very happy bunnies slapping ourselves on the backs for a great deal. Thats just the way it is.

Meh, I guarantee most people don't remember preseasons from even a year ago. He's playing pretty passive and feeling out his teammates - that's what this time is for.

The amount of people "worried" on Reddit about Bane is laughable lol. Would mean nothing if he starts preseason on fire and then sucks in the regular season.

They could've just been running a lot last week. Paolo couldn't even get up to dunk. Sunday, they may look way better after having a day off.

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[basketballRob]

Penda is bulky

Penda Express. For some reason, the Philadelphia announcer kept calling him 6'6". Penda is over 6'8" with shoes.

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[ORLMagicGirl15]

Bane and Tyus just don't seem like a good fit in the starting lineup. I think I'd rather see AB start, but you can't have both Jase and Tyus playing together.

I actually like AB/Jase more than Tyus/Bane.

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I’ll take Tyus in the starting lineup because I don’t want to see Paolo pound the ball.

[basketballRob]

Bane and Tyus just don't seem like a good fit in the starting lineup. I think I'd rather see AB start, but you can't have both Jase and Tyus playing together.

I actually like AB/Jase more than Tyus/Bane.

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I’ll take Tyus in the starting lineup because I don’t want to see Paolo pound the ball.

I just worry about the defense, and Tyus hasn't given us anything offensively to make up for it yet.

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[Orlando Dawg]

Wendell plays better with goggles
JI plays better with an Afro
A starting lineup of 5 introverted personalities is not going to work.

[basketballRob]

Wendell plays better with goggles
JI plays better with an Afro
A starting lineup of 5 introverted personalities is not going to work.

I agree that we miss Suggs' energetic personality in the starting lineup.

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[ORLMagicGirl15]

Wendell plays better with goggles
JI plays better with an Afro
A starting lineup of 5 introverted personalities is not going to work.

The starting 5 really don’t have anyone with a personality but they are great players. We need Suggs.

[jezzerinho]

I do too. And I’ve watched sparingly. How could you not be happy? It’s preseason and he’s integrating to a new team. I think some of you just look for something to complain about because it’s your comfort zone.

Like it or not, 4 first round picks and a near-star salary is going to heighten expectations of Bane. Given it's preseason, it doesnt matter a bit if hes not on fire yet.

But, in the opposite case where he exploded out the blocks looking like the offensive weapon he is, we'd be very happy bunnies slapping ourselves on the backs for a great deal. Thats just the way it is.

Meh, I guarantee most people don't remember preseasons from even a year ago. He's playing pretty passive and feeling out his teammates - that's what this time is for.

The amount of people "worried" on Reddit about Bane is laughable lol. Would mean nothing if he starts preseason on fire and then sucks in the regular season.

As I said, it doesnt matter in the grand scheme if he's on fire yet or not, but expectations are naturally high. Maybe even more so given the KCP failure.

[eyriq]

1. AB's handle looks dramatically improved.
2. Bane can get anything he wants, usage will be the limiting factor
3. Tyus fit is awkward

[RookieStar]

We got Bane so he could open the paint and he just snipes from afar.

Instead we got Bane and he keeps slashing to the paint...

[Knightro]

It's obviously a tiny, tiny sample size, but the Magic are currently 11th in PACE in the preseason.

Also 4th in ORTG, but that feels less important than the commitment to pace.