The Phoenix Suns (32-24) play host to the Orlando Magic (29-25) at Mortgage Matchup Center on Saturday at 5 pm ET. Orlando swept the two-game set over Phoenix last season and has won three straight games in this series in total. Here are three key storylines to know heading into Saturday’s showdown.
1. Phoenix battling through tough stretch: Phoenix has been one of the biggest surprises this season, but it comes into this matchup amid a slump. After a 27-point blowout to the San Antonio Spurs in their most recent game, the Suns have now lost four of their last five fixtures. This skid can be largely explained by big absences such as Devin Booker (hip), Dillon Brooks (suspension) and Grayson Allen (ankle), who are all sidelined right now. Booker left early due to a hip issue in that San Antonio defeat, while Brooks served a one-game suspension. A silver lining for fans was to see Jalen Green take over in that loss. The key piece to the Kevin Durant trade has missed most of the season due to a hamstring issue, but seeing him drop 26 points, three rebounds, two assists and three steals in that defeat has to be an encouraging sign moving forward. They still rank seventh in the Western Conference, despite the recent slide.
2. The Magic are making moves: Orlando was expected to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference this season, but a slow start had them below .500 midway through the year. With that said, they enter this matchup winning four of their last five fixtures. They also won three of those by at least 19 points apiece, playing some of their best basketball of the season. The Franz Wagner injury is a difficult development, but a silver lining has been a breakout campaign for Anthony Black. The 2023 Top 10 pick is averaging 16.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals in what’s developing into a career year. He’s getting it done alongside Jalen Suggs, who is averaging 14.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.0 steals in the same backcourt. That makes this one of the most dynamic backcourts in the NBA with their defensive skillset, but let’s discuss the straw that stirs the drink for this team.
3. Paolo Banchero is taking over: Orlando needed Banchero to take over with Wagner going down, and he’s done just that. The top pick from the 2022 NBA Draft is averaging 21.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists across his last 28 outings. We’ve always known that Banchero can score 20-25 points on any given night, but providing 8.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists is truly game-changing for this team. You always want to see your best player make the rest of the team better around him, and this version of Banchero is doing just that. Don’t forget about Desmond Bane either, averaging 19.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists in his debut season with the Magic. That’s a formidable foursome, and there’s reason to believe Orlando can make a real surge in this post-All-Star stretch.
