Orlando Should Work Their Magic Against Rockets

Rockets vs Magic, 7:30 ET

I was able to grab a win in the professional ranks for basketball yesterday, but the college look I had will go down as one of the all-time disasters. If there was any solace in the play, I acknowledged that St. John's was unlikely to win the game. It wasn't just that they didn't win; they lost by more than 30 points. So, my taking the +5.5 really didn't even come close to making a difference. Today is a new day, and I have a look at the NBA, which I think is a good spot for us to cash once again as the Rockets play the Magic. 

The Rockets are one of the better teams in the league, but they aren't without their flaws. They are also not without some drama after the reports of yet another Kevin Durant thing came up. This time, the Rockets superstar was accused of talking crap about his teammates via texts that got leaked to the public. It is hard to tell if they are real or not, and Durant really hasn't acknowledged it one way or another. It doesn't seem to have impacted the team all that much, considering they are 3-1 since the All-Star Break, but they've also faced the Hornets, Jazz, and Kings in their victories. The Hornets are at least respectable, but the other two might as well just have some college kids go out there and have fun because they are not actively trying to win games. The one loss was against the Knicks on the road. Road games should be a concern for the Rockets. They are 36-21 overall, and have a 16-14 record on the road. 

The Magic still seem to be finding their footing this year. They are going to make the playoffs; they are 31-26 for the year, but a variety of injuries and lineup availability may be keeping them from being as successful as they could be. I'm not trying to say they should be the best team in the league, but they have good players 1-5. They have two go-to scorers and a great third option in Desmond Bane. Franz Wagner has an issue with his ankle, so he will not be available. However, it does seem like Jalen Suggs will be there, and he helps make this Magic defense even more reliable. The Magic are just returning from a road trip where they were on the West Coast. They beat the Kings with ease, then played three consecutive one-score games. They won against the Lakers and Clippers in back-to-back nights, but they lost to the Suns in double overtime. 

This is a game that has a lot of different angles. I mentioned yesterday, when I discussed the Nuggets and Celtics game, that you usually want to fade teams on the first game of a homestand. That would be a decent strategy right now, but there is a bigger contradiction. The Rockets are playing in their third game in four nights, including a back-to-back with travel. Those are hard spots for NBA teams. They also have two easier games after this, facing the Heat, then the Wizards. The Magic have two days off after this game, so there should be a bit more energy. If this game was Friday, I would be heavily betting the Magic. Instead, this is a one-unit play for me. I think that Orlando wins this game. They lost in Houston in overtime last game, and I think this is one to get a bit of revenge. I expect a slow start and probably under 216.5 overall, but the Magic should pull this out. Give me them on the moneyline at slightly plus money. 

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