Full Court Magic Episode 30 Highlights

The Orlando Magic are about to embark on the new challenges the Eastern Conference will have to offer in the 2026-27 season.

Many things have changed, with two points of emphasis being that Giannis Antetokounmpo will now play basketball three and a half hours away in Miami, and LeBron James is back in the Eastern Conference as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Magic have enough things to worry about in the Southeast Division alone with Antetokounmpo donning a Heat jersey and other teams making improvements, but it will also be interesting to see how Orlando fares against Philadelphia.

When the Magic were faced with overcoming the 76ers in a critical NBA Play-In Tournament game last season, they lost, 109-97. In a recent episode of the Full Court Magic Podcast, I discussed the obstacle Philadelphia has and might present again:

"And this LeBron James signing makes things even harder because let's not forget that the Magic had their back against the wall in the play-in after losing to the 76ers in that first game, right? And Paolo, that was a terrible game for Paolo. Just awful. You know, Desmond Bane carried the load, he was playing like first-option hoops. 

It was really bad for Paolo. You know, but again, like Paolo's going to have to be even better now, especially if they run into the Sixers again, because, you know, the only thing that's going to stop this Sixers team is health."

The Magic have had plenty of injury troubles, but the 76ers have not put together a fully healthy season, either.

"And, you know, it's a very viable argument to make. I mean, kind of like the Magic's roster, Joel Embiid has not shown you that he can stay healthy through an 82-game season. LeBron James, while he was once an iron man, Father Time is catching up and his age is beginning to show, right?

So then more of the workload goes on Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, right? And again, these are all hypotheticals, but that is on paper an elite starting five, right? And you would know that by seeing how the odds have skyrocketed for them just with the signing of a 41-year-old LeBron James today.

So, if the Magic couldn't beat the Sixers in a playoff setting, then, last season or post-season setting, play-in, whatever you want to call it, how are they going to beat them now? And maybe they'll surprise us."

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