The Orlando Magic near the end of their road schedule as they take on the Washington Wizards in a battle of two teams playing the end of the string.
Orlando Magic (20-56) at Washington Wizards (32-43)
Time/TV: 7 p.m./Bally Sports Florida
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Line via WynnBet: Wizards by 3
Tickets: $6-$409 on StubHub
2022 Season Series: Wizards 104, Magic 92 in Orlando on Nov. 13; Wizards 102, Magic 100 in Orlando on Jan. 9; Wizards 112, Magic 106 in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 12; Tonight in Washington, D.C.
| Pace | Off. Rtg. | Def. Rtg. | eFG% | O.Reb.% | TO% | FTR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando | 99.7 | 103.9 | 111.7 | 50.1 | 25.2 | 14.6 | 22.6 |
| Washington | 97.6 | 109.9 | 113.1 | 52.9 | 24.7 | 13.4 | 25.5 |
OMD Prediction
After Monday night, these predictions are just going to be off. The Orlando Magic are signaling quite clearly that winning is not the team’s top priority. Or at least not playing a team that is set up to win or rotations that are set up to win. The expectation remains that the players who play will play hard and do what they can to win.
The Washington Wizards though are in the same boat. They have already ruled Bradley Beal out for the rest of the season. Kristaps Porzingis could be out too with the Wizards playing a home and home back to back (they had not submitted their injury report as of the 11:30 a.m. update).
Washington has just three wins in its last 12 games. Those three wins? The Los Angeles Lakers, Detroit Pistons and Stephen Curry-less Golden State Warriors (the same one the Orlando Magic beat). Their four wins before that? The Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant-less Brooklyn Nets and Detroit Pistons again. Not exactly a murderer’s row. But neither are the Magic.
3 Keys To Watch
Markelle in D.C.
Markelle Fultz loves coming home.
OK, Fultz has not played a ton in his hometown because of all the various injuries he has had. But for his career, he is averaging 16.9 points per game and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 53.8-percent from the floor and 5 for 11 from beyond the arc. Fultz has had a special place for the Wizards.
And some of his most iconic moments with the Magic have come against the Wizards. There was his game-clinching steal and dunk in a home game during the 2020 season. There was his career-high 26 point game against the Wizards early in the 2021 season. That followed a 21-point performance the night before.
Fultz is obviously working on himself a lot more than working within the team context. He has had some strong games — including a season-high 16 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday — and things seem to be getting better. We will see how Fultz reacts to being back home.
Porzingis’ recovery
The Washington Wizards made their play to try to surround Bradley Beal with the right players by acquiring Kristaps Porzingis at the trade deadline. With their season virtually over, they have been very patient with Porzingis as everyone tries to figure out what his future will look like.
In 12 games, he is averaging 20.8 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game in 27.9 minutes per game. Porzingis is certainly still a capable player. And Washington is rightly still playing with some caution.
Many Orlando Magic fans are watching Porzingis’ recovery closely. He is a lanky rim protector much like Jonathan Isaac who has had some serious knee injuries sap his inherent ability. Porzingis is starting to reclaim his abilities and is playing well for Washington right now.
Lakeland Magic Alumni
The Orlando Magic are giving their Lakeland Magic crew some real chances here. If there has been a failure on the part of Jeff Weltman and his staff, it has been his struggle to hit on second-round picks and bring those players into the fold and the use of his two-way players.
It is hard to say that either Ignas Brazdeikis or Admiral Schofield will be on the roster beyond this year — or Jeff Dowtin on his 10-day contract.
But this is an opportunity. The runway is being put out for these players to see if they can hold their own. Do not blame them for trying to win and play well. This is their future and their jobs on the line.
Brazdeikis had a really solid game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, scoring 13 points on 6-for-10 shooting. He had some great moments in the fourth quarter as Orlando see-sawed into the lead. Brazdeikis has some craftiness working through the lane. But his inconsistency as a shooter is probably the biggest thing keeping him out of the league — he is averaging 21.6 points per game in seven games with Lakeland.
Schofield has struggled at times to find his place. Although some of that may not be his fault seeing as the Magic play him a lot at power forward, which is not his position. Dowtin is still getting his feet under him after a stellar season with Lakeland.