The Orlando Magic look to build off a get-right win over the Portland Trail Blazers as they travel to Salt Lake City to take on the Utah Jazz.
Orlando Magic (13-43) at Utah Jazz (34-21)
Time/TV: 9 p.m./Bally Sports Florida
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Line via WynnBet: Jazz by 14
Tickets: $16-$397 on StubHub
2022 Season Series: Magic 107, Jazz 100 in Orlando on Nov. 7; Tonight in Salt Lake City
| Pace | Off. Rtg. | Def. Rtg. | eFG% | O.Reb.% | TO% | FTR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando | 99.1 | 103.9 | 111.9 | 50.1 | 25.5 | 14.7 | 22.5 |
| Utah | 98.2 | 115.6 | 109.1 | 55.7 | 28.8 | 14.5 | 26.5 |
OMD Prediction
The Orlando Magic needed to beat the Portland Trail Blazers. It was not just to get the stink off a really bad pair of home games and start moving back in the right direction. It was also that the Blazers were by far the worst team they would see on this West Coast jaunt. That Portland just completed trades earlier that day that further gutted the roster added more urgency for Orlando to win.
Kudos to the team for getting the job done. No matter the circumstances. Wins all count the same.
Now comes the real challenge.
The Orlando Magic had a breakthrough game against a tired Utah Jazz team back in November. And while Rudy Gobert is still QUESTIONABLE with a left calf strain entering this game (he said on Wednesday’s ESPN broadcast he is getting very close to returning), this is still a dangerous and explosive Jazz team. A Utah Jazz team that just held the Golden State Warriors to 85 points Wednesday.
3 Keys To Watch
Gary from the corner
Now that the Orlando Magic know they will have Gary Harris for the foreseeable future, let’s talk about the key to his success: The left corner.
Harris has had a very nice year, shooting 38.8-percent from beyond the arc. That is obviously something the Magic desperately need because they are not a good shooting team — 26th in the league overall in 3-point shooting.
Harris though has made a living shooting, specifically from the corners. He is shooting 49.3-percent on 3-pointers from the left corner (36 for 73). Lest you think he is ignoring the other corner, he hits 40.5-percent of his threes from the right corner (17 for 42).
The Magic as a team are shooting more corner threes than last year under Steve Clifford — 21.6-percent of their threes this year are from the corners compared to 16.2-percent last year. The Magic’s 436 3-point attempts from the corner are more than they took all of last year!
That is at least some sign of the modernization of the Magic’s offense. They are getting these high-value looks. Harris has turned out to be a big boost from the corners.
Defending without Gobert
Tweets defaming Dwight Howard aside, Rudy Gobert is still a singular force defensively in the league. Opponents shoot 49.4-percent at the rim against Gobert, according to data from Second Spectrum. For comparison, opponents shoot 57.6-percent against Mo Bamba and 59.0-percent against Wendell Carter. Both of those guys are considered solid defenders and rim protectors.
Gobert really is on another plane.
But Gobert has missed the last eight games. Utah has gone 4-4 in that time, with wins in their last four games (Donovan Mithcell returned from an injury three games ago).
It may not be a great comparison, but in those eight games, the Jazz’s defensive rating dropped from 109.1 points allowed per 100 possessions to 111.4 points allowed per 100 possessions. That is a credit to the defensive system the Jazz have put together and the presence of another rim protector in Hassan Whiteside.
The Jazz are a powerful offensive team and they know they have Gobert as a backstop this year. Without Mitchell and without Gobert, they struggled. Throw Mitchell back in and the offense is more than enough to hold firm even without Gobert. At least in the short term.
Cole up, Cole down
When the Orlando Magic beat the Utah Jazz back in November, Cole Anthony was at the peak of his powers. He scored 33 points and hit 5 of 10 3-pointers. He was completely in his bag, using his quick ball-handling to step back and hit jumpers. He was on a tear hitting off-the-dribble mid-range shots and from the outside.
Anthony has not reached those heights in a while. But Tuesday’s win was a really encouraging sign. Anthony scored 23 points on 9-for-18 shooting and 3-for-5 shooting from deep. It was the most points he has scored since Jan. 5 against the Philadelphia 76ers and was just the third time he shot 50-percent or better in a game in his last 18 games.
Since returning from injury, Anthony is averaging 14.9 points per game and shooting 35.2-percent from the floor and 27.2 -percent from beyond the arc. His struggles offensively have been a big thing holding the Magic back from consistency. He is a shooter and scorer and the Magic rely on him for such.
To his credit, he has expanded his playmaking by averaging 6.5 assists per game in that time. He has dropped his field goal attempts per game down to 14.1 per game. He is picking his spots a lot better. He just needs to regain the efficiency.
The hope is that he is coming out the other end and is reaching some form of consistency. He has scored at least 15 points in five of his last six games. Someone has to score and Anthony is still seeking efficiency.