Orlando Magic vs. Golden State Warriors: Game Preview

So, for a young and upcoming team that currently lacks postseason experience, there’s arguably no better test to prepare for the postseason than getting the chance to go head-to-head with the battle-tested Warriors.

“They’ve been champs,” said Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. “They know what it takes to get there. They know what it takes to win a championship. They know what type of game they have to have (against us on Wednesday).”

The Magic will be going up against a Warriors squad that’s hungry for victories. Golden State currently sits at the 10th spot in the West and will certainly be looking to climb up the postseason ladder.

“They’re super dangerous,” said Magic guard Markelle Fultz. “Any time you have Klay Thompson, Steph (Curry), Draymond (Green) and those guys on the team, they’re always going to be a threat. (We have to) go in there locked into the game plan and do what we need to do. As long as we do that, I think we have a great chance … to get a win.”

Orlando, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back from a tough defeat against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. The Magic had a number of chances down the stretch, but due to untimely fouls and a few missed chances around the rim, they came up just short.

Orlando has used its three days in between games to recover, reset, and review its mistakes, as it attempts to come out and deliver its best effort against Golden State.

“We’ve been really locked in on this next game against Golden State (and) our game plan going into that,” said Fultz. “We’ve been mentally preparing ourselves, as well as physically.”

The Magic are at the point in the season where every game matters, especially in the postseason standings. Orlando currently holds the fifth seed in the East, is just one-and-a-half games out of the third spot and just two games ahead of sixth.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “Our area of focus (in shootaround) was game planning. Understanding Steph and Klay and what they’re capable of doing at any given time throughout the game. Knowing you’re not going to stop guys like that, but you just have to make their jobs difficult. It’s a team effort. You’re not going to have one guy guarding them. And also, (being ready) for the other play making that these other guys make throughout the game. They have three or four guys playing really good basketball right now.”

KEY STATS: Since Jan. 28, the Magic are an impressive 19-7 (.731). That’s the third-best winning percentage in the NBA over that span, trailing only the Boston Celtics (22-4) and Denver Nuggets (19-6).