The Orlando Magic have had an offensive boom of late and on a busy NBA Friday visit a Cleveland Cavaliers team that has lost 4 straight, including Nov. 27 to Orlando.
The Orlando Magic have been transformed over their last two games into an offensive juggernaut after playing like a jugger-not on that end of the floor for basically the entire season. On a busy NBA Friday schedule, the Magic are a solid against-the-spread pick when they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers.
For starters, the Magic already won at Cleveland a little more than a week ago, on Nov. 27, 116-104. Orlando has won four of its last five games — including the road win over the Cavaliers, who have lost four in a row, including the loss to the Magic.
More from Hoops Habit
- 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
- Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
- Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
- Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
- NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers
But it’s been what Orlando has done offensively the last two games that has been eye-opening. Entering their game against Washington on Tuesday, the Magic were 29th in the NBA with an offensive rating of 102.5, the second-worst in the NBA.
But since Tuesday, the Magic == who had large leads against both the Wizards and Phoenix in those two games — have put together a small sample-size theater offensive rating of 125.0, second-best in the NBA over that span.
For a team that has played its last seven games … and counting … without injured All-Star center Nikola Vucevic, who was the fulcrum of Orlando’s offense, it’s a stunning display of firepower of late. Throw in Cleveland’s 24th-ranked defensive rating of 112.4 and it looks like a recipe for the Magic to keep up their offensive efficiency boom.
So even as a 3½-point road favorite, per information provided courtesy of The Action Network, Orlando could be worth the action Friday night against a slumping club in a place the Magic have already won this season … when they weren’t setting the nets on fire with their scoring pace.
Orlando Magic (minus 3½) at Cleveland Cavaliers
TV: Fox Sports Florida, Fox Sports Ohio
Tickets: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, 7 p.m. Eastern
Records: Orlando 10-11 (8-12-1 ATS, 4-5 road ATS), Cleveland 5-15 (8-10-2 ATS, 4-6-1 home ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Thursday)
Orlando: OUT–Al-Farouq Aminu (torn meniscus in right knee), B.J. Johnson (two-way, G League), Nikola Vucevic (lateral sprain of right ankle); QUESTIONABLE–Michael Carter-Williams (nasal contusion).
Cleveland: OUT–Tyler Cook (two-way, G League), Dean Wade (two-way, G League), Dylan Windler (G League); PROBABLE–Tristan Thompson (illness).
Brooklyn Nets (minus 2½) at Charlotte Hornets
TV: YES Network, Fox Sports Southeast-Charlotte
Tickets: Spectrum Center, 7 p.m. Eastern
Records: Brooklyn 11-10 (11-10 ATS, 5-6 road ATS), Charlotte 9-14 (11-11-1 ATS, 6-5 home ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Thursday)
Brooklyn: OUT–Wilson Chandler (league suspension), Kevin Durant (right Achilles rehab), Henry Ellenson (two-way, G League), Kyrie Irving (right shoulder impingement), Rodions Kurucs (G League), Caris LeVert (right thumb surgery), Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (two-way, G League)
Charlotte: OUT–Robert Franks (two-way, G League), Caleb Martin (G League), Jalen McDaniels (G League), Kobi Simmons (two-way, G League)
Notable: The Brooklyn Nets enter Friday with a 4-1 ATS record over their last five games and have won six of their last eight overall. The Charlotte Hornets have won only three of its last 10 games, going 4-6 ATS over that span, including a 3-1 mark at home.
The Nets are 4-1 overall as favorites in their last 10 games, while the Hornets are 2-7 as an underdog over their last 10 games.
Indiana Pacers (minus 3) at Detroit Pistons
TV: Fox Sports Indiana, Fox Sports Detroit
Tickets: Little Caesars Arena, 7 p.m. Eastern
Records: Indiana 14-7 (11-8-2 AT, 6-4 road ATS), Detroit 8-14 (8-13-1 ATS, 6-5 home ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Thursday)
Indiana: OUT–Brian Bowen (two-way, G League), Naz Mitrou-Long (two-way, G League), Victor Oladipo (right knee rehab), JaKarr Sampson (sore back).
Detroit: OUT–Jordan Bone (two-way, G League), Sekou Doumbouya (G League), Reggie Jackson (stress reaction in left lumber spine), Louis King (two-way, G League), Khyri Thomas (right foot surgery)
Notable: The Indiana Pacers have gone 5-1 ATS in their last six games while winning seven of their last eight overall. The Detroit Pistons have covered four of the last five times they have played the Pacers at home, Including a 96-94 victory back on Oct. 28.
Remarkably, Friday night will close out the season series between Indiana and the Pistons as the Pacers try to earn a split at 2-2. Over their last 10 games, Detroit is 3-2 ATS at home, but the Pacers are 4-1 ATS on the road over their last 10.
Denver Nuggets at Boston Celtics (minus 3½)
TV: Altitude Sports, NBC Sports Boston, ESPN
Tickets: TD Garden, 8 p.m. Eastern
Records: Denver 14-5 (9-9-1 ATS, 4-3-1 road ATS), Boston 15-5 (12-6-2 ATS, 5-2-1 home ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Thursday)
Denver: Not submitted. The Nuggets played Thursday without Bol Bol (two-way, G League), Vlatko Cancar (G League), PJ Dozier (two-way, G League) and Jarred Vanderbilt (G League). Jamal Murray played after being listed as probable due to an illness.
Boston: OUT–Tacko Fall (two-way, G League), Gordon Hayward (fractured left hand), Romeo Langford (sprained right ankle), Vincent Poirier (G League), Tremont Waters (two-way, G League); QUESTIONABLE–Marcus Smart (abdominal contusion).
Notable: The Denver Nuggets are 6-3 ATS over their last nine games and halted a two-game losing skid by blowing out the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, putting them in the dreaded road SEGABABA position on Friday. The Boston Celtics are 6-2 ATS over their last eight games and are undefeated straight up at home.
The Nuggets are 2-1 ATS on the road over their last 10 games, with the Celtics a sterling 3-0 ATS at home over their last 10. In their first meeting at Denver on Nov. 22, the Nuggets for the 96-92 win, with Boston covering at plus-5. Denver is 3-0-1 ATS in its last four road games against the Celtics, while the teams have split 2-2 SU.
Washington Wizards at Miami Heat (minus 10½)
TV: NBC Sports Washington, Fox Sports Sun
Tickets: American Airlines Arena, 8 p.m. Eastern
Records: Washington 7-13 (11-8-1 ATS, 6-4-1 road ATS), Miami 15-6 (14-6-1 ATS, 8-0 home ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Thursday)
Washington: Not submitted. Against the 76ers at home on Thursday, the Wizards did not have Thomas Bryant (stress reaction in right foot), Chris Chiozza (two-way, G League), Garrison Mathews (two-way, G League), Jordan McRae (surgery on right ring finger), Isaiah Thomas (sprained left ankle) or John Wall (left Achilles rehab). Ian Mahinmi (strained right Achilles) and Moritz Wagner (sprained left ankle) were questionable but were available for Washington.
Miami: OUT–Goran Dragic (strained right groin), Daryl Macon (two-way, G League), KZ Okpala (strained left Achilles); QUESTIONABLE–Justise Winslow (strained lower back).
Notable: The Washington Wizards come into this SEGABABA off a huge 119-113 win over the powerful 76ers at home on Thursday, improving to 2-5 ATS in their last seven games while snapping a three-game losing streak SU. The Miami Heat return home after a 2-1 road trip through Brooklyn, Toronto and Boston.
The Heat are perfect at home thus far this season, 8-0 SU and also 8-0 ATS. Washington is 2-3 ATS on the road over its last 10 games. Over its last 10 games, Miami is 6-0 ATS when favored. This is the first of four meetings this season between the Southeast Division rivals, with the Heat winning seven of the last 10 meetings, going 5-4-1 ATS over that stretch.
Golden State Warriors at Chicago Bulls (minus 5)
TV: NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Chicago
Tickets: United Center, 8 p.m. Eastern (7 p.m. local)
Records: Golden State 4-19 (10-12-1 ATS, 6-8 road ATS), Chicago 8-14 (10-12 ATS, 5-6 home ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Thursday)
Golden State: OUT–Stephen Curry (fractured left hand), Jacob Evans (strained left adductor), Damion Lee (two-way, G League), Alen Smailagic (G League), Klay Thompson (left ACL rehabilitation); PROBABLE–D’Angelo Russell (sprained left finger).
Chicago: OUT–Cristiano Felicio (fractured right wrist), Chandler Hutchison (sprained right shoulder), Adam Mokoka (two-way, G League), Otto Porter (bone bruise in left foot), Max Strus (two-way, G League)
Notable: The Golden State Warriors played in the last five NBA Finals, winning three titles, and four years ago, they opened the 2015-16 season with 24 straight wins. A loss on Friday will leave the Warriors at 4-20 over their first 24 games this season — a very rapid and very long fall from grace.
Golden State is 5-5 ATS over its last 10 games, despite a 2-8 SU record. The Chicago Bulls have been a bit more normal (4-6, 4-6 ATS) in their last 10 games, but have covered in just two of their last six games at home.
Minnesota Timberwolves at Oklahoma City Thunder (minus 2½)
TV: Fox Sports North, Fox Sports Oklahoma
Tickets: Chesapeake Energy Arena, 8 p.m. Eastern (7 p.m. local)
Records: Minnesota 10-10 (9-10-1 ATS, 7-3 road ATS), Oklahoma City 8-12 (12-8 ATS, 7-4 home ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Thursday)
Minnesota: OUT–Jake Layman (sprained left toe), Kelan Martin (two-way, G League), Jaylen Nowell (G League); QUESTIONABLE–Naz Reid (right shoulder soreness), Andrew Wiggins (sprained left thumb); PROBABLE–Shabazz Napier (strained right hamstring), Karl-Anthony Towns (right knee tendinopathy).
Oklahoma City: OUT–Hamidou Diallo (right elbow hyperextension sprain), Terrance Ferguson (right hip soreness), Andre Roberson (left knee injury recovery).
Notable: The Minnesota Timberwolves have gone just 3-6 ATS over their last nine games and are 4-6 SU in their last 10. They could be without this season’s breakout player in Minnesota, Andrew Wiggins, who sprained his left thumb in the loss at Dallas on Wednesday. The Oklahoma City Thunder are 6-3 ATS over their last nine and 4-1 ATS in their last five games at home.
This will be Oklahoma City’s first meeting this season with the Timberwolves, who they will see four times in all. That may not bode well for the Thunder, who have lost their last five games at home against Northwest Division rivals. Minnesota, meanwhile, is 8-0 SU in its last eight against Oklahoma City,
LA Clippers at Milwaukee Bucks (minus 3)
TV: Fox Sports Prime Ticket, Fox Sports Wisconsin
Tickets: Fiserv Forum, 8:30 p.m. Eastern (7:30 p.m. local)
Records: LA 16-6 (11-10 ATS, 2-6 road ATS), Milwaukee 19-3 (11-11 ATS, 5-5 home ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Thursday)
LA: OUT–Amir Coffey (two-way, G League), Mfiondu Kabengele (G League), Rodney McGruder (strained right hamstring), Johnathan Motley (two-way, G League), Landry Shamet (high left ankle sprain); QUESTIONABLE–JaMychal Green (tailbone contusion).
Milwaukee: OUT–Dragan Bender (G League), Frank Mason (two-way, G League), Cameron Reynolds (two-way, G League).
Notable: The Milwaukee Bucks enter play Friday on a 13-game winning streak, while the LA Clippers have won nine of their last 10. So that qualifies this one as a heavyweight battle. The Clippers are only 5-5 ATS over that 10-game stretch, while the Bucks are 5-5 ATS in their last 10. Milwaukee won the first meeting between these teams in Los Angeles on Nov. 6.
However, the Clippers did not have Kawhi Leonard for that game and Paul George had not yet returned from offseason shoulder surgeries. If you’re looking for a trend, consider that Milwaukee has not covered in any of its last five games against the Western Conference.
Sacramento Kings at San Antonio Spurs (minus 4)
TV: NBC Sports California, Fox Sports Southwest-San Antonio
Tickets: AT&T Center, 8:30 p.m. Eastern (7:30 p.m. local)
Records: Sacramento 8-12 (12-8 ATS, 7-4 road ATS), San Antonio 8-14 (6-16 ATS, 3-9 home ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Thursday)
Sacramento: OUT–De’Aaron Fox (sprained left ankle), DaQuan Jeffries (two-way, G League); DOUBTFUL–Marvin Bagley III (fractured right thumb); QUESTIONABLE–Bogdan Bogdanovic (right knee contusion), Cory Joseph (low back soreness).
San Antonio: OUT–Keldon Johnson (G League), Chimezie Metu (G League), Luka Samanic (G League), Quinndary Weatherspoon (two-way, G League); QUESTIONABLE–LaMarcus Aldridge (right thigh soreness).
Notable: While the Sacramento Kings have struggled through injuries all season and have gotten off to a disappointing start, they are 12-3 ATS over their last 15 games after an 0-5 start. The San Antonio Spurs, meanwhile, are looking at the very real possibility of missing the playoffs for the first time this millennium and over their last 14 games are just 4-10 ATS.
This is the second of four straight road games for the Kings, who will have a back-to-back in Dallas and Houston on Sunday and Monday. San Antonio is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games against Sacramento, but the Spurs are only 4-6 ATS over that span.
Los Angeles Lakers (minus 3½) at Portland Trail Blazers
TV: Spectrum SportsNet, NBC Sports Northwest, ESPN
Tickets: Moda Center, 10:30 p.m. Eastern (7:30 p.m. local)
Records: Los Angeles 19-3 (13-8 ATS, 6-4 road ATS), Portland 9-13 (10-12 ATS, 3-5 home ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Thursday)
Los Angeles: Not submitted. NBA injury reporting procedures call for teams to submit a participation status report by 5 p.m. local time on the day before a game, except when on a back-to-back. The Lakers last played Wednesday at Utah.
Portland: OUT–Zach Collins (left shoulder dislocation), Jusuf Nurkic (fractured left leg); QUESTIONABLE–Gary Trent Jr. (strained right hamstring).
Notable: The Los Angeles Lakers have won 12 of their last 13 games overall and are 4-2 ATS over their last six games, while the Portland Trail Blazers are 4-1 SU in their last five games. The Lakers are looking to finish their current road trip at 3-0 SU after they were stunned at home by the Mavericks last Sunday.
Portland has won its last three games SU at home and is playing the second of a four-game homestand after handling Sacramento 127-116 on Wednesday. If you follow day-of-the-week trends, the Trail Blazers are just 1-5 ATS in their last six games played on a Friday.