On their final night in Florida, the New York Knicks (42-32, 22-15 on the road) will take on Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic (30-43, 17-19 at home), a team they have beaten three times in a row. It’s set to start at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. Look at the odds for the Knicks and Magic below.
On the first night of a back-to-back, New York fell to the Miami Heat. Two of Orlando’s three wins have come against the Wizards this season.
The future Looks Bright for Orlando
The Magic will miss the Eastern Conference’s last play-in place, but they have plenty of reason to be hopeful for the future. Young stars like Rookie of the Year frontrunner Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, Markelle Fultz, and Wendell Carter have shown promise early in their careers.
To put their season in context, last year at this time, Orlando was fighting tooth and nail to achieve 20 victories. Jamahl Mosley’s team is close to being a.500 teams, and it might be that next year with a little more development. On Tuesday, seven different players scored in double figures, proving that a wide variety of players can score on the Magic. In addition, every starter scored at least 14 points.
Banchero contributed 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists, while the younger Wagner scored 20 points to lead all scorers. Overall, Orlando’s shooting percentage was 54%, and they converted on 26 of 27 free throw attempts. This is the kind of work that can be expanded upon.
Time for New York to Lock Down
In order to make the NBA playoffs, the Knicks must win their remaining games by narrow margins. Defeat like the one they suffered on Wednesday won’t help their cause, especially with Miami so close to New York.
This was a classic back-and-forth battle, but the Heat ultimately prevailed. Jalen Brunson added 25 points, and RJ Barrett scored 26. Even after he scored 54 the night before, Julius Randle could only muster 15 points in Miami.
Tom Thibodeau’s team struggled to handle Miami’s perimeter offense, as Jimmy Butler and company shot an absurd 57% from three-point range. The Knicks had a high percentage of makes from long range (40%), but more was needed to win. Their 16 giveaways also contributed to their loss. New York has now lost two games in a row and desperately needs a win in Orlando.
Magic vs. Knicks Prediction
New York has won every game against Orlando while covering the spread. With the latest NBA betting odds in their favor, they should end their losing trend with a big victory on the road.
