The Orlando Magic finally have an easy opponent on their schedule but that doesn't mean they are taking anything for granted.
The Magic just knocked off an unbeaten team and now face the winless Philadelphia 76ers, but likely won't have Nik Vucevic to match up with rookie center Jahlil Okafor on Saturday night.
Orlando (2-4) has faced five playoff teams from a season ago along with an Oklahoma City squad with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in its first six games. The Magic have had trouble down the stretch, going 0-4 in games decided by five points or fewer before Friday's 92-87 win over a Toronto team that entered 5-0.
Tobias Harris scored 20 points and Victor Oladipo added 18. Oladipo said the Magic won't overlook the 76ers.
"We can't relax, we just came off a win, we've still got to keep that chip on our shoulder," Oladipo said. "We're still going on the road and playing, no matter who we're playing, so like I said, we can't relax and we have to be ready to play. They've got a lot of great young talent over there."
Philadelphia (0-5) has one of the league's most talented rookies in Okafor, who leads all first-year players in scoring (19.8 points per game) and field-goal percentage (53.2).
It appears his matchup in the pivot will be with Dewayne Dedmon, who made his first start Friday since Vucevic sat with a bone bruise in his right knee. Dedmon had 10 points and four boards.
Okafor and Nerlens Noel each scored 18 points in Friday's 108-102 loss at Cleveland. It marked the second time this week that the 76ers led the Cavaliers at halftime.
"I think as a team we played solid," Okafor said. "I think we're on the right path right now."
Noel also grabbed 12 rebounds for his third double-double and added five steals for the 76ers, who have started two rookies and three second-year players in their last two games. Robert Covington has missed both of them with a right knee sprain.
Philadelphia doesn't expect this poor start to mushroom into the franchise-worst 0-17 beginning to last season.
"We started slow, we were always going to start slow because of the nature of injuries and training camp," coach Brett Brown said. "I don't think I have ever felt less prepared going into a season."
The Sixers' T.J. McConnell leads all rookies with 7.2 assists per game, registering four on Friday after back-to-back efforts with 12.
He'll be up against a struggling second-year point guard in Elfrid Payton, who is averaging 5.8 assists but is shooting just 31.6 percent - 25.8 in his last four games. Payton logged 15 scoreless minutes Friday.
''He's got to get himself over it,'' coach Scott Skiles said. ''At some point it's the player's responsibility to get himself going. He's got a lot to learn at that position, like all younger players do, and right now he's got to dust himself off, pick himself up and come back and have a good game (Saturday).''
Orlando has won seven of nine against Philadelphia.
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