Can Minnesota’s Defense Stifle The Orlando Magic Again?
Our Magic vs Timberwolves Preview Broke Down All The Analytics
The Orlando Magic will hit the road to take on one of the hottest Western Conference teams, the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Timberwolves have won four of their last five games and have a record of 34-14 on the season. They’ve been among the most surprising teams in the NBA this season and continue exceeding expectations as we head into February.
On the other hand, the Orlando Magic have also exceeded expectations. The Magic are two games above .500 and have won two of their last three games, including a double-digit win over the Phoenix Suns.
Orlando has a bright future ahead. But how will they match up against the Timberwolves in this matchup?
Oddsmakers don’t like Orlando’s chances. The Magic opened as 7-point underdogs, and the total is at just 215.5 points.
Minnesota played Orlando on the road on January 9, earning a 113-92 win. This game in Minnesota could be similar.
Here’s our Magic vs Timberwolves preview for this NBA matchup.
Orlando Magic vs Minnesota Timberwolves
Day/Time:
Location: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Streaming: Watch Live Sports
Magic vs Timberwolves Preview & Trends
While the Magic are only two games above .500, Orlando is 31-17 against the spread. They’ve, again, exceeded expectations and have been very profitable for Magic backers this season.
Meanwhile, the Magic have hit the Under in 26 of 48 games and are just 10-16 in road games this season.
Minnesota is 18-4 at home. However, the Timberwolves have only gone 25-23 against the spread this NBA season. Like Orlando, the Timberwolves have hit the Under in 26 of 48 games this season.
Minnesota won the only meeting against Orlando this season and has covered in two of the last three games dating back to last year.
Orlando’s Quiet Approach
The Orlando Magic haven’t been very competitive in recent years. That’s ultimately how they landed Paolo Banchero in last year’s NBA Draft.
With little success, the Magic have been quiet during the NBA Trade Deadline. However, this season, the Magic are above .500 and in playoff contention.
The Magic are in more trade rumors than in previous seasons. However, it’s still unclear if the Magic will actually make a move by the deadline.
The Magic reportedly want to keep the team’s chemistry intact. The only name that has been roaming around in rumors has been Wendell Carter Jr. He’s made an immediate impact since returning from injury at the center position and would be a quality fit for many teams in the NBA. But he’s also a quality fit for the Magic.
The return for Carter Jr. could be worthwhile. That’s why his name is floating around. We’ll see what the Magic choose to do in the next week. And a half.
Minnesota’s Lockdown Defense
The Timberwolves are coming off a 121-87 win over the Dallas Mavericks at home. Dallas didn’t have Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving and basically played with many bench players.
But the defensive intensity didn’t change. The Timberwolves treated Tim Hardaway Jr. like he was the best shooter in the NBA. Hardaway Jr. was ultimately the best scorer the Mavericks had in that game.
But after scoring 36 in a previous game on Monday, the Timberwolves held him to 14 points on 5-for-16 from the floor. Hardaway Jr. was visibly frustrated and didn’t get open for quality looks throughout the entire game.
Minnesota allowed the fewest points it allowed in a game this season and held Dallas to 6-for-29 from three and 41% from the floor.
The Timberwolves are an elite defensive team with enough offensive firepower. That’s why the Timberwolves have 34 wins this season.
Don’t expect this defense to slow down against the Magic in this game.
Minnesota Has The Edge
The Minnesota Timberwolves have held opponents to 109.1 points per 100 possessions. That’s the best defensive rate in the NBA.
We just talked about how good the defense is. They’ve held teams to a 51.6% effective field goal percentage and rank in the top eight in turnover, offensive rebounding, and free throw percentage defensively. The Timberwolves have bought into the little details and have given legitimate effort when on the floor.
That has ultimately translated into significant success on the defensive end.
Meanwhile, Orlando has scored only 113.5 points per 100 possessions. That’s good for 24th in the NBA offensively. The Magic have also added a 53.3% effective field goal percentage, which ranks 27th in the NBA.
The Magic have also turned the ball over 14.6% of the time. That’s another below-average metric for the Magic.
Though Orlando is good on the offensive glass and getting to the foul line, the Timberwolves are just as good at limiting those second-chance points and foul-shot attempts.
On the other hand, Orlando’s defense has looked better than its offense. The Magic have held teams to 112.6 points per 100 possessions and have forced 15.7% of turnovers. Orlando has also limited teams to a 25.9% offensive rebounding rate, which is fourth in the NBA.
The Timberwolves will find their way to the foul line more consistently. Minnesota should also shoot at a higher percentage from the floor. However, the Magic will force more turnovers and limit second chances, allowing them to keep the score low.
The Timberwolves have the best defensive NBA stats in the league. However, the Magic aren’t far off. It’s unlikely that the Magic play the TImberwolves again this season in an NBA Championship game. But this matchup should still be competitive per the NBA odds.
Per our Magic vs Timberwolves preview, we’ll take the Under 215.5 (-110).
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