The Warriors continue a six-game road trip on Tuesday night when the team travels to Orlando to take on the Magic.
The journey started last Tuesday with a 24-point loss to the Thunder, yet things have turned around since. Golden State took down the Spurs twice in San Antonio, then easily dismantled the Pelicans in New Orleans on Sunday. The Warriors are now 9-6 and are sitting seventh in the Western Conference.
Can the Magic end this mini winning streak? Let’s preview tonight’s game with the help of some of some odds and lines on the DraftKings Sportsbook.
Warriors vs. Magic prediction, preview
So, this might end up being what I like to call a rock fight, as neither of these teams has had all that much success scoring the basketball this season.
The Warriors have been winning games on the back on their seventh-ranked defensive rating (111.7), not so much their 22nd-ranked offensive rating (113.6) — which is a wild statement to make about a team led by Steph Curry. The one-day Hall of Fame point guard has been his usual self, averaging 27.4 points per game while leading the league in three-pointers attempted (134), yet no other player aside from Jimmy Butler can consistently find the bottom of the basket. Draymond Green is shooting 37.3% from the field. Al Horford is shooting 33.9% and looks like he might finally be cooked. Jonathan Kuminga’s shown flashes, yet he’s been dealing with a knee issue and will miss his third straight contest this evening. The whole supporting cast is just pretty underwhelming.
Things aren’t much better for the Magic. Orlando was already struggling to score points efficiently with Paolo Banchero on the floor, and that trend has obviously not improved with the former first-overall pick dealing with a groin strain. Banchero has been ruled out again for Tuesday’s tilt with Golden State, and the Magic are producing just 110.1 points per 100 possessions in the last two games that the All-Star has missed. Jalen Suggs has also recently missed time with a groin issue, and the point guard is listed as questionable to suit up tonight.
With Banchero in street clothes, Franz Wagner becomes Orlando’s clear-cut No. 1 option on offense. This season, Wagner’s scored 5.0 points more per 75 possessions with Banchero on the bench. However, Wagner’s also seen his true shooting rate plummet from 66.6% when sharing the court with Banchero to just 52.5% without his teammate available. Wagner is a highly skilled player, but he’s certainly struggled to adjust to the extra defensive attention.
Warriors vs. Magic pick, best bet
Best Bet: Under 223.5 (-115)
Over the past five games, the Warriors own the league’s second-best defensive rating (106.7), while the Magic have operated at the league’s third-slowest pace (96.6). Both of these squads have struggled to score all season long, and it would be odd if both broke out of these slumps against an elite defensive opponent.
