Interconference squads go head-to-head on Monday night as the Orlando Magic host the Portland Trail Blazers at the Kia Center.
The Magic (4-6, 11th East) have returned to form after a sluggish start to the season, but aim to rebound from Sunday’s narrow loss to the Boston Celtics. The Blazers (5-4, 7th West), meanwhile, have won four of their last six and look to end their Florida tour on a high note after falling to the Miami Heat on Saturday night.
Looking at the injury report, Moritz Wagner (knee) remains sidelined for Orlando, while Damian Lillard (Achilles), Matisse Thybulle (UCL), Blake Wesley (foot), and Scoot Henderson (hamstring) are out for Portland.
Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET. The Magic enter as a 2.5-point home favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while the Trail Blazers are listed as +110 underdogs. The game’s total is set at 235.5 points.
Trail Blazers vs. Magic Preview
Orlando’s season nearly took a turn for the worse after the first game of the season, when the team followed up an opening night win with four straight losses. But the Magic seem to be back on course and have since won three of their last five.
All in all, Orlando sits 20th in offense and 14th in defense with a less-than-ideal 19th-ranked net rating. The Magic are a middling rebounding squad and struggle to take care of the ball at times, and in turn, they get crushed in transition.
The deep ball is a lost cause for the Magic, who rank 26th in threes attempted and 27th in threes made. However, they do an excellent job of getting to the charity stripe; Orlando leads the NBA in personal fouls drawn, free throws attempted, and free throws made — cashing in on nearly 25 freebies a night.
Orlando’s offensive attack is spearheaded by former first overall pick Paolo Banchero, who’s averaging 22.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per night — all of which lead the team.
Early in the season, Portland is carving out a spot in a crowded Western Conference. Before losing to Miami, the Blazers took down the defending champion Thunder, and they also have wins over the Warriors, Lakers, and Nuggets.
Portland ranks 17th in offensive rating, 11th in defensive rating, and just above the halfway mark at 13th in net. The Blazers rank top-six in points per game (121.6), despite owning the NBA’s sixth-worst field goal percentage (44.6%). They have particularly struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 29.8% on threes — fifth-worst in the league.
However, like Orlando, Portland does an exceptional job of getting to the charity stripe, an effort resulting in the league’s third-most made free throws per game at an impressive 83.3% clip. The Blazers also turn defense into offense, converting their NBA-leading 11.2 steals per game into a league-high 24.7 points per game off turnovers.
For Portland, Deni Avdija paces the squad with 25.3 points, along with seven rebounds and just under five assists per game. Donovan Clingan leads the Blazers with 8.8 rebounds, and Jrue Holiday adds a team-high 8.2 assists a night.
Trail Blazers vs. Magic Pick, Best Bet
The Magic and Trail Blazers make for an exciting matchup that could result in a ton of points on the board. Both teams rack up opportunities at the free-throw line — Orlando went 30-for-32 against Boston — and Portland looks poised to capitalize on Orlando’s at-times sloppy ball movement.
Count on this to be a high-scoring affair, and for the Magic and Blazers to hit Monday night’s over.
