Magic vs Warriors Predictions: Can Orlando Maintain Magical Run?
Underdogs Losing Steam Lately
Magic Can Still Do Well Against Warriors
The Orlando Magic have been a pleasant surprise for the NBA season. However, the Magic have started to run out of gas lately and are just 3-6 in their last nine games. Still, Orlando has been profitable this season and it visits a Warriors team that it has typically played well against. Thus, the best Magic vs Warriors predictions should focus on the underdog visitor: Orlando.
Magic vs Warriors 
Day/Time:
Location: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Streaming: Watch Live Sports
Magic Match Up Well Against Warriors
Orlando had a red-hot start to the season. But a string of tough games have threatened to kill this team’s momentum. Still, the Magic visit the Warriors in a matchup that bodes well for them. Orlando is 5-1 against the spread (ATS) in its last six games against Golden State and has won four of its last five against it.
The Magic is also in better form now than it had been in the previous three seasons. It may just be 7-9 on the road but is 10-6 ATS and 7-6 ATS as an underdog. Orlando is a big and youthful team led by Paolo Banchero upfront. He’s averaging 21.7 points this season. The team is 14-5 when he hits the 20-point mark.
Against Golden State, he’s averaged 23.5 points in two games. He’ll need to stay this prolific as the Magic are 14-5 when he hits the 20-point mark this season. Orlando scored 115 and 130 in both wins though, good luck with the NBA score predictions. The first game’s total was a blistering 259 points but the one in San Francisco only totaled 216.
The total for this NBA game on Jan. 2 is set somewhere in the middle at 233.5. Also considering, the total has gone under in four of Orlando’s last five road games. The Magic struggle offensively on the road, scoring just 108.7 points.
But this is also the second-best team defensively going by overall rating (110.8). Orlando allows just 113.6 points as a visitor. If it can do that against Golden State, its odds of winning increase.
Golden State is Anything But Golden These Days
If Golden State can’t score more than 113 points, these Magic vs Warriors predictions would lean to Orlando. Golden State is just 3-10 when it is held under 114 points. Its defense, which used to be air-tight at home, is now just mediocre. The Warriors are just not an excellent team on either side of the ball. That’s why the team is struggling.
Golden State is just 8-17 against NBA teams with a record at .500 or better. It’s offense is not consistent enough to outscore the best teams nor is its defense solid enough to squeak out wins against good ones. Even at home, the Warriors are a miserable 6-11 ATS.
“First of all, I love the guys on this team,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. “We have a really good group. I think they have a good chemistry, they get along well, but we haven’t found that grit that every good team needs. Where you pull together and you just play for the group. We’re not there yet, and that’s a problem.”
Chemistry issues are a simple way to summarize the root of Golden State’s issues. It may be something they overcome down the line. But given how their betting odds typically are, it’s best to bet against this team or the total.
Golden State is still thick in the NBA playoffs bracket. So maybe things have to be bad before it can get better.
The Warriors are healthy now, however. And that is something they have against the Magic, who have a few key NBA players listed on the NBA injury report. That could prove the difference in these Magic vs Warriors predictions.
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