Suns and Magic Battle for Playoff Positioning

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Phoenix Suns and Orlando Magic, both fighting for playoff positioning in their respective conferences, will face off on Tuesday night in Orlando. The Suns are coming off a big win over the Grizzlies, while the Magic are looking to bounce back from a blowout loss to the Raptors. This matchup between the seventh-place Suns and eighth-place Magic could have major implications for the postseason.

Why it matters

With the NBA playoffs just around the corner, this game is crucial for both teams as they try to secure a direct playoff berth and avoid the play-in tournament. The Suns and Magic are in a tight race in their conferences, so a win here could give one team a significant advantage in the standings.

The details

The Suns (42-33) are 18-18 on the road this season, while the Magic (39-35) are 22-14 at home. Phoenix is led by Devin Booker, who is projected to score 25.6 points per game, while Orlando is paced by Paolo Banchero, who is expected to put up 24 points. The game is set to tip off at 7 p.m. ET from the Kia Center in Orlando.

• The Suns are coming off a 131-105 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday.
• The Magic were beaten by the Toronto Raptors 139-87 on Sunday.

What’s next

The winner of this game will take a big step towards securing a direct playoff berth, while the loser will be in a tougher position to avoid the play-in tournament.