Orlando Magic vs. Houston Rockets (Feb. 25, 2022): 3 Things To Watch, Odds and Prediction
The Orlando Magic return from the All-Star Break with a game against another young team in the Houston Rockets.
Orlando Magic (13-47) vs. Houston Rockets (15-43)
Time/TV: 7 p.m./Bally Sports Florida
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Line via WynnBet: Magic by 4
Tickets: $19-$438 on StubHub
2022 Season Series: Rockets 118, Magic 116 in Houston on Dec. 3; Tonight in Orlando
| Pace | Off. Rtg. | Def. Rtg. | eFG% | O.Reb.% | TO% | FTR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | 101.2 | 107.1 | 116.4 | 52.8 | 27.3 | 16.8 | 29.1 |
| Orlando | 99.4 | 103.8 | 112.4 | 50.1 | 25.2 | 14.7 | 22.4 |
OMD Prediction
The Orlando Magic were certainly hoping to get some players back from injury after the All-Star Break. At least their fans were hoping for that. That does not seem to be the case though.
Markelle Fultz seems to be getting closer to returning to the court but is still listed as OUT with no timetable for his return. And R.J. Hampton was set to return but he sprained his ankle this morning and is now himself QUESTIONABLE.
Still, Orlando is trying to get itself back on track after a tough stretch heading into the All-Star Break. The team seemingly has a manageable schedule coming out of the break, at least by record. And Cole Anthony at least remembers the loss the team took in Houston in December.
The first game after the All-Star Break can be a bit of a crapshoot. It will be interesting to see how teams get back to their rhythm. Both the Magic and the Rockets have had their good moments and bad moments this season. So it will be interesting to see how the teams respond.
Prediction. 112. 169. 115. 38
3 Keys To Watch
The return of early-season Cole Anthony
Cole Anthony will be the first to tell you he has not played to his standard. He has not played as well as he knows he can play and the way he played earlier in the year. Various ankle injuries have slowed him down throughout the course of the season. It has been hard for him to get into a rhythm.
As if to make matters worse, Anthony admitted he was a bit scared to dunk in the Timberlands he used in the Dunk Contest. They are not made for jumping and landing. And then he hit his thumb awkwardly on his second dunk attempt, leading to speculation he may have hurt his thumb. This is something Anthony is continually disputing, leading to this display after practice:
Cole Anthony proving his thumb is more than OK pic.twitter.com/LZhiDAX0P3
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) February 24, 2022
The way Anthony entered the All-Star Break was extremely encouraging. Maybe it was not quite his November levels of play, but it is the best he has looked for a long time.
Anthony averaged 17.8 points per game and shot 46.3-percent on his 3-pointers in the nine games entering the All-Star Break. He still is not hitting his mid-range shot at the rate the team saw in November. But the 3-point improvement is a big thing for a Magic team that has long struggled to shoot.
Orlando relies heavily on Anthony right now as a creator. And he has been a whole lot better than he was during a rough few months.
Free throw war
The Houston Rockets got the good fortune of getting a Lottery win to draft Jalen Green in last year’s draft. It seemed like it was a huge win to kickstart their rebuild. And Green has been very good. But it feels like the Houston Rockets are a bit further ahead than the Orlando Magic in their rebuild because the Rockets are actually leading the league in several categories.
The big one is pace. That may or may not matter as the Magic themselves have proven. But pace is something and the Rockets are playing with as many possessions as they can.
The best way this has manifested itself for the team in the team’s free throw rate. The Rockets lead the league in free throw rate at 29.1 (free throw attempt/field goal attempt). Houston averages a league-high 25.0 free throw attempts per game.
Fouling has been an on-again, off-again problem for the Magic. Orlando is 20th in the league giving up a 25.0-percent free-throw rate. If the Magic want to win this game, they cannot let the Rockets get to the line. That is going to take some defensive discipline.
Injuries… again
R.J. Hampton seemed legitimately excited to be back on the court. And he may still return tonight. But the sprained ankle was a frustrating setback for a player who has been itching to get back on the court.
It is a reminder of how much the Magic are waiting on with injuries. A lot of fans are feeling how close Markelle Fultz is to a return. And it is going to be the big question the team is facing every day until he returns. The Magic probably need to set a target date just to quiet those questions.
Then again, the Magic revealed more about Fultz’s progress and where he is at physically this week than the team has before. It really feels close. Like really close.
Next. Orlando Magic need to finish their season strong. dark
But injuries remain the story for this team. Orlando wants to see its key players back out there. And time is running out to do it.