Houston Rockets (38-40) vs Orlando Magic (46-32)
Game Info: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at 8:00 pm (Toyota Center)
Betting Odds: Houston Rockets +2.5 --- Over/Under: 211 Click Here for the Latest Odds
The Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets meet Tuesday in NBA action at the Toyota Center. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Magic vs Rockets prediction.
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic have been in great shape as they've won four of their last five games overall and they will be eager to stay hot after blowing past the Bulls in a 113-98 home win on Sunday. Paolo Banchero led the team with 24 points, six rebounds and five assists, Jalen Suggs added 19 points with five assists while Markelle Fultz chipped in with 17 points on eight of 12 shooting off the bench. As a team, the Magic shot 46 percent from the field and 11 of 34 from the 3-point line as they dominated the first quarter by 31-14 to build an early 21-point lead which kept them in control for the entire contest.
Houston Rockets
Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets have gone cold lately as they are now hoping to put a halt to a five-game losing streak after getting run over by the Mavericks in a 147-136 overtime road loss on Sunday. Dillon Brooks led the team with 29 points on nine of 14 shooting, Fred VanVleet added 24 points with 12 assists while Jalen Green chipped in with 21 points, six rebounds and eight assists. As a team, the Rockets shot 49 percent from the field and 17 of 41 from the 3-point line as they squandered an early 22-point lead, before they got blown out by 18-7 in the overtime period to lose by double digits in the end.
Houston Rockets Player Facts
- Fred VanVleet ranks 4th amongst qualified players for assist:turnover ratio (4.7) this season.
- Amen Thompson ranks 22nd amongst qualified players for steals per game (1.2) this season.
Orlando Magic Player Facts
- Jalen Suggs ranks 3rd in the Eastern Conference amongst qualified players for steals per game (1.4) this season.
- Paolo Banchero is one of only 11 qualified players in the league averaging at least 20.0 points, 5.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Rockets rank 1st in the league for opponent free throw percentage this season (76.4%).
- The Rockets rank 29th in the league for opponent free throw attempts per game this season (25.2).
- The Magic rank 1st in the league for opponent assists per game this season (23.9).
- The Magic rank 1st in the league for opponent rebounds per game this season (39.9).
Magic vs Rockets prediction
The Magic could be shorthanded again with Jonathan Isaac and Franz Wagner both listed as questionable, while the Rockets are still without Jae'Sean Tate and Alperen Sengun. The Magic could be missing a couple players in this one, but they are clearly the team in better shape compared to the Rockets who have gone ice-cold over their past five games. The Rockets are certainly capable of pulling off the upset at home, but the Magic looked dominant in their big win over the Bulls on Sunday and I think they can stay hot with another win and cover at this short line.
Peter’s Pick Orlando -2.5
AUTHOR: Peter Tran
