The last matchup between these two teams took place a week ago in Orlando. Now, the Magic are on the road in Portland. Will they be able to tie the series 1-1, or will Portland sweep them? You won't want to miss this one, with the game tipping off at 7:00 PM PT!
Gary Harris Questionable
Jalen Suggs Questionable
Matisse Thybulle
Jerami Grant Probable
The Magic have been struggling lately, with a surprising loss last week in Orlando to Portland. The most worrying part about this current losing streak has been with most of their starters back. Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero are both back from their early season injuries, but this team’s weak offense is still holding them back.
On the other hand, Portland has been thriving the last two weeks. They’ve won five of their previous six games. It’s been an impressive turnaround for a team most had written off. They’re not going to break into the playoff race, but this roster has shown it can be competitive on both ends of the court.
Some names to watch for Portland tonight will be Anfernee Simons and Toumani Camara. Simons usually plays well against his hometown team. He could be in for another big night with 21 points on over 50% shooting from the field. However, if Suggs is back, that could change the entire dynamic. So keep an eye out closer to game time for his availability.
Additionally, Camara played a massive part in last year's victory over the Magic. His stifling defense held Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero to 28 points combined on 10-33 shooting.
For the Magic to win this game, they’ll need more out of Paolo. He’ll need to hit his shots and attack the rim. With his three-point shot being streaky, he can’t settle for jump shots and will have to get physical tonight against a big Portland defense.
Even though the Magic have been the better team this year, Portland has the advantage tonight. Unless Paolo can have a game closer to his season averages, they’ll need a ton of scoring from their role players to compete. Expect this game to be a close, with Portland holding a small advantage.
Money line: POR (+164) / ORL (-198)
Total Points: 212.5
Spread: +5 POR (-105) / -5 ORL (-115)
With Portland blowing out the Magic so recently, this might be the opportunity to do it again. All things are pointing to a fierce matchup, though, so with Portland getting plus money at home, they’re the better take tonight.
The Magic just haven’t been scoring consistently enough to take the over. Despite their last game going to OT and ending at 244 combined, that’s the outlier number. They haven’t hit 100 points in half of their previous ten games. Even though Portland has been better at scoring, it feels unlikely they’ll carry to points total of 213 if the Magic are struggling to score again!
Again, I'm going with Portland on the spread. Even if this is a close game that Portland loses, this spread is generous. The Magic haven’t been blowing teams out, even if they do win. At 5 points with near even money, this is a strong bet.
This point total feels extremely low for some reason. Even though Simons hasn’t been averaging a ton of points over the entire season, January has been a great month for him. He’s scoring 20 points a game and shooting 44% from three. With 21 points in their last matchup against Orlando, this is a great line.
Paolo’s scoring has been hit or miss since his return. Some nights, he’ll have 30 others, he’ll struggle to get over ten. With the size and athleticism, Portland has to toss at Paolo, he may struggle again. Considering he’s only had 3 games over 24 points in January, this bet looks solid.
If we see Suggs's return tonight, he’ll likely reprise his role as primary ball handler. With the team looking for a spark on offense, he might become the playmaker tonight as Paolo and Franz work off the ball more. This could be a great night to see Suggs grab some extra assist.
Avdija lost to run in transition. When the ball hits his hands, he sprints, which is excellent for this Portland roster. He's often unselfish when he’s on the run, setting up his teammates with great passes for dunks. Considering how much more involved he’s been in the offense, 4 assists are right in his wheelhouse.