Magic Vs Suns: Game preview, injuries and three things to watch

magic vs suns opens with Phoenix returning home after a 27-point loss and Orlando arriving amid a multi-game push; the matchup at Mortgage Matchup Center matters as both clubs juggle injuries and short-term goals. Tip is scheduled for 5: 00 pm ET and the result has implications for Phoenix’s home stretch and Orlando’s push to climb out of the play-in race.

Magic Vs Suns: injuries and availability

Both teams enter the game with notable absences and a handful of players listed as questionable. For Phoenix, Devin Booker is out with right hip soreness while Dillon Brooks has returned from a one-game suspension. Grayson Allen is listed as questionable with a right ankle sprain. For Orlando, Franz Wagner is out while the team plans to re-evaluate his progress in three weeks after additional tests on a left high ankle sprain. Additional Magic roster notes list Haywood Highsmith out with a right knee injury, Jalen Suggs questionable (back spasms) and two players assigned to the G League and unavailable for this contest.

Game time and location

The matchup is set for Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona, with a 5: 00 pm ET start. Broadcasters and local availability are not confirmed in the available information. This is the first meeting between the teams this season.

Three things to watch

Key storylines highlighted ahead of the game include these observable trends and player statuses:

• Phoenix’s recent form: The Suns have lost four of their last five games and fell by 27 points in their most recent outing. Absences have been a major factor, with several core players unavailable at times.
• Orlando’s momentum: The Magic have won four of their last five fixtures, including three recent victories by at least 19 points, signaling a stronger stretch after a slow start to the season.
• Paolo Banchero’s impact: With Wagner out, Orlando has leaned on Banchero, who has averaged 21. 9 points, 8. 7 rebounds and 5. 3 assists across his last 28 outings; his production will be central to Orlando’s prospects in this game.

What to expect next

Records entering the matchup show Phoenix with a better overall mark than Orlando, and Phoenix still sits inside the Western Conference standings despite the recent slide. For Orlando, a win would aid efforts to move out of the play-in conversation in the East. Short-term indicators to watch during the game include how Phoenix defends without one of its primary scorers, whether Dillon Brooks’ return changes the Suns’ defensive tone, and whether Orlando can sustain the offensive balance that produced multiple large-margin wins in its recent run. If key injured players remain unavailable, rotations and minutes usage will be decisive in determining which team can manage the physicality and defensive intensity expected in this matchup.

Note: Broadcast window and some availability details are not publicly confirmed at this time.