The Magic are desperate to avoid tenth defeat in a row, while the Thunder are hoping to return to winning ways after two consecutive losses. With plenty of picks and markets to choose from, don’t waste your time and join the action at Get More Sports.
Oklahoma City Thunder at Orlando Magic
Spread: Oklahoma City Thunder -6 (-110) at BetDSI Sportsbook
Total: Over/Under 212.5 points (-110)
The Thunder are eager to snap the six-game losing streak on the road
The Oklahoma City Thunder are huge underachievers so far in the campaign, and although they were tipped to finish in the top four in the West, they are struggling at the moment with the 8-11 record. Billy Donovan’s side is in the 10th position in the West, and despite the fact that there are still plenty of games to be played, the Thunder must improve pretty soon, or even the playoff spot could be in jeopardy.
The second of two losses in a row came at Dallas as the Mavericks beat Oklahoma 97:81, and the hosts dominated throughout the entire tilt, limiting the Thunder to only 36.3% from the field. Oklahoma hit 13 triples on 35 attempts (37.1%), but that wasn’t enough for a win as Dallas outscored them from beyond the arc, making 15 threes. Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with a near triple-double performance of 28 (9-19 FG, 4-8 3PT, 6-9 FT) points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists, while Carmelo Anthony scored 16 points. Only two of them reached double digits in the visiting team, and Paul George’s miserable two points directly affected the outcome of the match, as he made just one shot on 12 attempts from the field. I expect the former Indiana Pacer to bounce back on this one and return to his usual 20 points per display in a matchup with Jonathon Simmons, while the duel between Anthony and Aaron Gordon will probably be the most attractive one to watch. Steven Adams is facing Nikola Vucevic in the paint, and I think Adams will perform much better than he did in Dallas, finishing the game with six points and three rebounds.
Billy Donovan is without any injury-related issues as all the players are healthy and ready to go, but the team lacks real chemistry in the offense, and it seems that the Thunder are still learning how to play with Westbrook, Anthony, and George on the floor. They will become compatible soon, and Oklahoma will start winning, that’s for sure, but for now, their displays are quite concerning and uninspiring. The Thunder are scoring 102.00 points per contest on average (23rd in the NBA), while they are allowing 98.11 points in return (2nd in the NBA). The defense has been outstanding so far, but the offense must improve, and I am sure the results will come.
Place: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Date/Time: Wednesday, November 29th, 2017, 7 PM ET
TV Coverage: FOX SPORTS FLORIDA, FOX SPORTS OKLAHOMA
The Magic are looking to end the nine-game losing streak
The Orlando Magic are in the worst form in the NBA at the moment, and even though they entered the season on a positive note, Frank Vogel’s side is having a lot of difficulties lately and are without a win in the previous nine matches. Orlando is in the 12th position in the Eastern Conference with the 8-13 record, which is not that bad considering the negative run, so there is still a lot of room for improvement, and the Magic can bounce back with a win here against another struggling team.
Orlando played relatively well at Indiana through the first three quarters in the most recent 109:121 defeat to the Indiana Pacers, but the final period was disastrous for the Magic as they lost it by 11 points. The Magic made 16 threes on 41 attempts (39%), but they trailed in rebounds (35-43), and hit 13 free-throws in opposite to Indiana’s 22. Jonathon Simmons led Orlando with 21 points as he started at the small forward instead of Terrence Ross who moved to the bench, while Nikola Vucevic recorded a double-double of 16 points and 12 boards, along with three blocks. Aaron Gordon added 16 points, six rebounds, and game-high four rejections, Elfrid Payton contributed with 15 points and five dimes, while D.J. Augustin scored 11 points with four dishes. Evan Fourier didn’t have the best of nights as he hit only five shots on 15 attempts, ending the encounter with 12 points, as his downfall continues. The French international is averaging miserable 9.66 points per game over the last three outings and considering that Fournier is Orlando’s top scorer, it is no wonder why Orlando is playing so badly lately. Evan is facing Roberson who is a solid perimeter defender, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see Fournier struggling ion this one as well, but I do believe he is a good enough to respond with good performance and hurt the Thunder with some vital threes. Vucevic and Gordon should combine for at least 35 points, and in case Fournier is limited, the pair will be more responsible for the offense.
Frank Vogel cannot count on the rookie power forward Jonathan Isaac who is out with an ankle injury and will miss the ninth straight match, while the good news is that Adreian Payne returned from a broken hand and could break into rotation pretty soon. The Magic are scoring 107.33 points per contest on average (12th in the NBA), while they are allowing 111.00 points in return (28th in the NBA). Orlando is among the top five teams in the league (5th) when it comes to shooting from downtown (38.26%).
Oklahoma City Thunder at Orlando Magic Trends & Prediction
The Thunder are 8-11 against the spread (2-8 away), while they are 6-13 on over/under (3-7 away), so it is clear that playing in Oklahoma is not a very smart decision. I would go with the spread on Orlando as I don’t think the host will lose by more than five points.
The Magic are 9-11-1 against the spread (3-5 home), while they are 11-10 on over/under (3-5 home), and they have one of the weakest defenses in the league, so it is the right time for the Thunder to score around 110 points. Orlando is finding it hard to defend lately and even though Oklahoma doesn’t have a top offense, I think both teams can go triple digits on this one.
My Pick: Orlando Magic +6 (-110)
Total: Over 212.5 points (-110)
