Darren and Vic’s Takes: NBA Thanksgiving Week Preview

Published: Tuesday, November 25, 2025

by Darren Worrell and Victor Lisboa

Week 5 of NBA play has concluded and as always there was a lot of great action, but it is a new week which means we are back to preview the games that we feel are going to be big games for week 6. 

Darren: Orlando Magic vs Philadelphia 76ers

The Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers are set to face off in NBA cup action on November 24th at 8:00 p.m. on NBC.  

This game will be the second of three matchups this season, and it should be a good one. The first time both teams faced off against each other, the Philadelphia 76ers won 136-124 back on October 27th. Tyrese Maxey erupted for 43 points in that game.

Entering this game, the Philadelphia 76ers are currently 8th in the eastern conference with a 9-7 record, with their last showing being a loss on the road against the Miami Heat. Looking at the Orlando Magic, they are one spot behind the Philadelphia 76ers, as they are the 9th seed with a 10-8 record.  

The Magic are led by the dynamic duo of Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero who lead the charge for the team. Wagner is atop the team in points, averaging 23.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. Banchero is right behind him, averaging 21.7 points per game, 8.7 assists per game, and 4.1 assists per game.  

These two obviously lead the way, but the depth on this young team is very deep. They traded for Desmond Bane in the offseason, who has been the third leading scorer averaging 17.4 points per game and has been very key to this team's success. 

Aside from Wagner, Banchero, and Bane, four other players have scored in double figures this season being Jalen Suggs, Wendell Carter Jr, Tristan da Silva, and Anthony Black.

On the other hand, the Philadelphia 76ers have been doing great. They have one of the best rookies in the league in VJ Edgecombe who is starting as a rookie and actually contributing in a big way for the 76ers. The impressive rookie averages 15.6 points per game, 6.0 rebounds per game, and 4.2 assists per game. 

In addition, they have Tyrese Maxey who’s been emerging as Philadelphia’s first option now that Joel Embiid, who still plays well but has not been really playing as much as the 76ers would like. 
He is the leading scorer on Philadelphia, averaging 33.4 points per game, 7.9 assists per game, and 4.7 rebounds per game.  

Their depth is also one that gets the job done, with players like Andre Drummond who can crash the boards at a high clip, averaging 10. 6 rebounds per game which leads the team. Quentin Grimes has also played a sizable role, as he is averaging 16.9 points per game, good enough to make him the Sixers third leading scorer.

For my prediction in this matchup, I believe the 76ers will take it, but I expect a close one.  

Victor: Minnesota Timberwolves vs Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder are the defending NBA champions, and that has been evident since the start of this season. They currently sit with the league’s best record at 17-1 and are on pace to break the Warriors’ 73-win season in 2016.  
 
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is in his prime at age 27, averaging 32.2 points per game, 4.9 rebounds per game, and 6.6 assists per game. He is also shooting at 54% from the field, 41% from three-point range and 90% from the charity stripe. SGA is truly off to another historic season as the reigning league and finals MVP.  
 
His running mate Chet Holmgren, the second overall pick from the 2022 NBA draft, is off to a career-best year. His point total has jumped up to 18.3, but his blocks and shooting metrics are a bit down. This could be in part due to the fact that this OKC team has the best supporting cast in the league. A collection of players like Alex Caruso and sharpshooters like Isaiah Joe are major factors.
 
However, one of the bigger surprises might be the emergence of Ajay Mitchell. He was the 38th overall pick by the New York Knicks last season, but was instantly traded for the 40th pick and cash considerations. He’s now posting 16.1 PPG in his sophomore season, and is one of the best players off the bench in the league, thus far.  
 
The Minnesota Timberwolves are currently the 6th seed at 10-7 after a OT loss against the Kings on Monday night. This team didn’t make any major moves this offseason, after they traded their 2015 1st overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns, last year. They acquired Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo from the Knicks, in that swap. This appeared to be a win-win trade as both teams ended up in the Conference Finals last season. 
 
Anthony Edwards, in his age 24 season, remains one of the league’s most electrifying players. Averaging 26.5 PPG, shooting 46.5% from the field and 37% from three, it is scary to think how much more he can improve. 

Edwards' new running mate Julius Randle appears to also be in his prime, as he turns 31 on Saturday. Averaging 24.7 points per game, 7.3 rebounds per game, and 5.8 assists per game, he is been a prudent investment for Minnesota and a great co-star to Edwards.  
 
Perhaps the biggest hole in this team is their uncertainty at point guard as Edwards has been their starter. However, it is clearly not his true position. Mike Conley at 38 years of age, appears to be at the tail end of his career, with lows all across the board. Therefore, there is a very good chance that Minnesota makes a trade for a point guard by the trade deadline in February.  

The stars should bring the thunder in Oklahoma City this Thanksgiving Eve at 7:30 PM on ESPN, in what will be a rematch of the Western Conference Finals. I expect this to be a great game, and hopefully one that remains competitive all throughout. 

Darren Worrell can be reached at darren.worrell@student.shu.edu.

Victor Lisboa can be reached at victor.lisboa@student.shu.edu.

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