The Orlando Magic are injured but the schedule marches on. And they get a meeting with the also depleted Brooklyn Nets for a back-to-back battle.
Orlando Magic (5-25) at Brooklyn Nets (21-8)
Time/TV: 7:30 p.m./Bally Sports Florida
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Line via WynnBet: Nets by 5
Tickets: $17-$437 on StubHub
2022 Season Series: Nets 123, Magic 90 in Orlando on Nov. 10; Nets 115, Magic 113 in Brooklyn on Nov. 19; Tonight in Brooklyn; March 15 in Orlando
| Pace | Off. Rtg. | Def. Rtg. | eFG% | O.Reb.% | TO% | FTR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando | 98.8 | 102.7 | 113.2 | 49.2 | 27.2 | 15.5 | 22.0 |
| Brooklyn | 99.8 | 110.1 | 106.4 | 53.4 | 24.8 | 14.1 | 24.7 |
OMD Prediction
The Orlando Magic deserve all the credit in the world for the fight they showed Friday night against the Miami Heat. They literally signed four guys a few hours before tip-off to fill out their bench and then saw their starting power forward get hurt with what looked like a serious leg injury. The fact the Magic stayed in the game and did not get blown out was something of a minor victory.
In the same way the Miami Heat could never pull away, the Orlando Magic could never climb all the way back in. The difference in the game was a 22-4 game-flipping run in the first quarter when that G-League group first stepped onto the floor. They were better in the second half.
Can the Magic get repeat performances from Franz Wagner, who spent much of his time manning the point against the Heat’s trapping defense? Will Chuma Okeke truly break out of his shooting slump? Will Cole Anthony come back to help give the team some much-needed depth and good news?
Maybe more interestingly, in the war of attrition between the Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets. Both teams are very injured with the Nets already ruling out 11 players for this game including Kevin Durant and James Harden. The Magic have 10 players out on their own. Nobody is feeling sorry for anyone.
3 Keys To Watch
Wait, so who is playing?
The story Friday for the Orlando Magic were the injuries. The team came in for its shootaround and tested beforehand and returned several positive tests. They sent everyone home and later announced Terrence Ross, Ignas Brazdeikis, R.J. Hampton and Moritz Wagner were in health and safety protocols. Mo Bamba joined them by the end of the day.
Cole Anthony was a scratch after spraining his ankle in Wednesday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks. Gary Harris was able to play. The Magic ended up signing four players off the Lakeland Magic’s roster to fill out their lineup and field a legal team.
So where do the Magic stand now?
The five players in health and safety protocols did not travel with the team to Brooklyn so they are all out. Wendell Carter is listed as DOUBTFUL overnight with a muscle strain in his lower right leg. An MRI confirmed the muscle strain, which seems like the Magic dodged a bullet. But he may still be out a while as he recovers.
The Magic might get Anthony back, who is listed as QUESTIONABLE on the overnight injury report.
The Brooklyn Nets are not going to cry them a river. They have plenty of absences of their own. It is probably better just to list them:
- LaMarcus Aldridge (health and safety protocols)
- DeAndre’ Bembry (health and safety protocols)
- Bruce Brown (health and safety protocols)
- Jevon Carter (health and safety protocols)
- Kevin Durant (right ankle soreness)
- James Harden (health and safety protocols)
- Joe Haris (left ankle surgery)
- Kyrie Irving (ineligible to play)
- James Johnson (health and safety protocols)
- Patty Mills (rest) — UPDATE: he was upgraded to available this morning
- Paul Millsap (health and safety protocols)
Yikes.
Welcome to the new guys
The Orlando Magic added four players from the Lakeland Magic to try to buoy the roster. For the next nine days, Orlando will have some extra bodies to help the team get through this period.
Magic fans are already familiar with B.J. Johnson. He was with the team two years ago and was a key part of the team’s big win over the Los Angeles Lakers. He has continued to tear up the G-League averaging 24.7 points per game this year.
Hassani Gravett and Admiral Schofield both were with the team in training camp. Gravett is averaging 13.6 points per game and Schofield is averaging 14.4 points per game with Lakeland this year.
They had their struggles in their first game. But this was also coming during a heavy part of Lakeland’s schedule too. The march continues. And after these players struggled some in their debuts, the magic have to hope they continue to get more comfortable.
Respect for RoLo
A lot of Orlando Magic fans were a bit confused when the Orlando Magic signed Robin Lopez this offseason. The team seemed especially loaded at center and that did not seem to be the place to spend the team’s limited free-agent money. Especially considering he was a veteran player.
Lopez always understood he was going to be the “relief pitcher” of sorts. He would come in and do whatever the team needed in the moment. So far that is exactly what he has done. Lopez has been a good teammate and the Magic have kept him involved, even if it is not every day.
Lately, the Magic have had to use Lopez a lot more. He is averaging 7.5 points per game in 16.1 minutes per game in 12 games. He started Friday and scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds against the Miami Heat.
More importantly in that game, Lopez showed a ton of leadership in obvious ways. He was a calming force on the court. And specifically playing with the new players he was quick to encourage them after mistakes and point them back in the right direction. That is going to be really important for this team right now.