The Washington Wizards and the Orlando Magic collide at the Amway Center on Friday night. Here's a Wizards vs Magic prediction.
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards have been in terrible shape so far this season as they've lost 15 of their first 18 games and they will be hoping to bounce back after getting routed by the Magic in a 139-120 road loss on Wednesday. Kyle Kuzma led the team with 23 points and six assists, Deni Avdija added 22 points with five assists on nine of 12 shooting while Jordan Poole chipped in with 19 points. As a team, the Wizards shot 47 percent from the field and 11 of 29 from the 3-point line, but once again the problems were on the defensive end as they allowed the Magic to shoot over 60 percent from the field for the entire game which was only ever going to be a blowout loss for them. The Wizards now dropped to 3-15, the second-worst record in the entire NBA, along with the Spurs, while only the Pistons are worse than that.
Washington Wizards Player Facts
- Tyus Jones ranks 1st amongst qualified players for assist:turnover ratio (7.3) this season.
- Daniel Gafford ranks 3rd in the Eastern Conference amongst qualified players for Blocks Per Game (2.0) this season.
Orlando Magic
Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic have been in great shape as they've won nine of their last 10 games overall and they will be eager to build on their eight-game win streak after routing the Wizards on Wednesday. During this fantastic streak, the Magic beat the likes of the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets. Franz Wagner led the team with 31 points on 11 of 14 shooting, Cole Anthony added 25 points and five assists off the bench while Jalen Suggs chipped in with 22 points on nine of 15 shooting. As a team, the Magic shot over 60 percent from the field and a sizzling 17 of 27 from the 3-point line as they poured in 35 points in the second quarter to take 10-point lead into halftime and things only got better in the second half despite the team committing 18 turnovers for the game.
Orlando Magic Player Facts
- Jalen Suggs ranks 3rd amongst qualified players for steals per game (1.9) this season.
- Goga Bitadze ranks 14th amongst qualified players for Blocks Per Game (1.4) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Magic rank 1st in the league for opponent rebounds per game this season (38.9).
- The Magic rank 1st in the league for opponent offensive rebounds per game this season (8.7).
- The Wizards rank 30th in the league for opponent points per game this season (124.8).
- The Wizards rank 30th in the league for opponent assists per game this season (29.4).
Wizards vs Magic Prediction
The Magic are still shorthanded with Wendell Carter Jr and Markelle Fultz out, and Jonathan Isaac listed as questionable, but the Magic are still heavy favorites in this spot, especially after making light work of the Wizards on Wednesday. Yes, it's usually hard to beat the same team twice in a row, but the Magic are one of the hottest teams in the league right now, while the Wizards can't buy a win these days. The line is hefty again, but I'm sticking with the Magic to maintain their momentum with another win and cover at home.