The Orlando Magic return home to take on the Sacramento Kings as both teams begin to wrap up their seasons.
Orlando Magic (20-54) vs. Sacramento Kings (26-48)
Time/TV: 7 p.m./Bally Sports Florida
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Line via WynnBet: Magic by 2.5
Tickets: $14-$340 on StubHub
2022 Season Series: Kings 142, Magic 130 in Sacramento on Dec. 8; Tonight in Orlando
| Pace | Off. Rtg. | Def. Rtg. | eFG% | O.Reb.% | TO% | FTR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento | 100.2 | 109.7 | 114.8 | 52.5 | 26.4 | 14.1 | 25.9 |
| Orlando | 99.7 | 103.9 | 111.8 | 50.1 | 25.1 | 14.6 | 22.9 |
OMD Prediction
The Orlando Magic’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder was both encouraging and incredibly frustrating. On one hand, the Magic’s starters dominated the game and put the team in a position to win. The frustrating part — or the good part, maybe — is the reserves struggled to maintain that momentum. And the Magic played those reserves for much of the game and almost the entire fourth quarter.
Is this the norm for the Magic? Are they going to be balancing out minutes to end the season? Is this how the rest of the season is going to go? Good moments from the starters but a majority from a reserve group filled with two-way players and deep bench players.
Was that just a thing from a game against another struggling Oklahoma City Thunder team? Will this be something similar against the struggling and injured Sacramento Kings? It is anyone’s guess.
3 Keys To Watch
Wendell Carter’s impact
It has been a year now since Wendell Carter arrived in Orlando as part of the Orlando Magic’s trade with the Chicago Bulls. His transformation with the Magic has been quite astounding. He is pretty clearly the best player on the team in a lot of ways, averaging 15.0 points per game and 10.4 rebounds per game. His presence is abundantly clear.
Since the All-Star Break, Carter is averaging 20.1 points per game and 11.6 rebounds per game. The Magic have a +2.8 net rating including a 104.6 defensive rating with Carter on the floor since the break. That is some killer impact from a player. The Magic have a 112.1 defensive rating with Carter off the floor.
Carter was slated to be available for Saturday’s game. Coach Jamahl Mosley said he practiced Friday and is expected to play. But as of Saturday morning, Carter is listed as QUESTIONABLE with a left wrist sprain. That makes it unclear if Carter will actually be able to play.
Sacramento Kings’ starters
Quick name the Sacramento Kings’ starting lineup.
That might be tough for Orlando Magic fans who only see the Sacramento Kings twice per year. But the Kings have also undergone a lot of change. Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield already came through Orlando as members of the Indiana Pacers. The big part of that trade will not be playing — Domantas Sabonis is OUT with a left knee contusion.
The Kings will also be without Richaun Holmes (personal reasons) and De’Aaron Fox (right hand soreness). Fox had been stellar since the trade deadline, averaging 29.1 points per game and 7.1 assists per game since the split from Haliburton. That would have been tough for the Magic to handle.
Sacramento’s starting lineup in its last game against Indiana was Davion Mitchell (scoring 25 points), Harrison Barnes, Damian Jones, Trey Lyles and Justin Holiday. That is still an experienced and interesting starting lineup. Not a team to sleep on even if it feels like the Kings are doing the same thing the Magic are doing to close the season.
The Markelle Fultz Pace
Markelle Fultz is slated to play under his minute restriction and that will help stabilize the Orlando Magic whenever he plays. He is clearly a starter-level player for this team that is just held back by his minute restriction.
A lot of Fultz’s problems have come from the groups he has played with. He has played a lot with bench groups where teams have been able to put their focus on containing him. He has struggled with turnovers a lot lately and his shooting has started to come back down to earth.
But there is no denying Fultz has largely played in control. And that control is a ridiculous speed. The Magic play at a pace of 104.7 possessions per 48 minutes. That is three possessions per 48 minutes faster than the fastest team in the league — the Minnesota Timberwolves are at 101.1 for the season.
The offense is still a bit of a struggle. But a lot of that might have to do with the lineups Fultz plays with. The team is just trying to get his feet wet this season. That much is clear. But the team plays at a good speed when he is out there. Next comes control.