Orlando Magic vs. Atlanta Hawks (Nov. 30, 2022): 3 Things To Watch, Odds and Prediction

The Orlando Magic welcome back both Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony to the lineup as they return home to face the Atlanta Hawks and their high-powered pick-and-roll combination.

Orlando Magic (5-16) vs. Atlanta Hawks (11-10)

Time/TV: 7 p.m./Bally Sports Florida
WATCH MAGIC-HAWKS ON FUBO TV
FOLLOW LIVE: @OMAGICDAILY
Line: Hawks by 6
Tickets: $8-$1,248 on StubHub
Season Series: Hawks 108, Magic 98 in Atlanta on Oct. 21; Tonight in Orlando; Dec. 14 in Orlando; Dec. 19 in Atlanta

OMD Prediction

The biggest story for the Orlando Magic is obviously who is coming back for the team. Markelle Fultz will make his season debut after missing the first 21 games and Cole Anthony will be back after missing the last 17 games.

The amount of lift those two players by themselves could provide is quite big. The Magic have essentially played without a point guard and having two more scoring threats and organizers will help the team.

That does not mean the Magic are all the way back yet. Wendell Carter and Jalen Suggs are OUT as they continue to nurse their injuries. And Mo Bamba remains QUESTIONABLE with back spasms. That will be a big factor in this game especially as the Magic deal with Clint Capela and John Collins on the offensive glass.

The Atlanta Hawks have almost flipped their identity this year. They have proven themselves to be a solid defensive outfit that struggles to shoot from the outside. With Trae Young, that may not last long. But the question tonight is how much of an energy boost does Fultz and Anthony’s return give this team?

3 Keys To Watch

Happy Markelle Fultz Day!

Orlando Magic fans are celebrating the return of Markelle Fultz to the lineup for the first time this season (also Cole Anthony, let’s not forget him). Magic fans spent all offseason trying to explain the aesthetic and advantage that Fultz brings to the team.

He played mostly with bench units last year. So it is hard to look at his numbers completely. But Markelle Fultz played 71 minutes with Franz Wagner last year with a +3.4 net rating (111.8 offensive rating/108.4 defensive rating). That is a small sample, but it sure feels promising.

Of course, the team Fultz is joining is very different than the one he joined last year. He has never played with Paolo Banchero or Bol Bol. So nobody knows what injecting him into the mix will do. But everyone is eager to see this team ease the pressure on Wagner and Banchero and make their lives easier off the ball. That is something everyone anticipates what Fultz can do.

Battle on the boards

The Orlando Magic have been up and down on the glass for the last few weeks of the season. Rebounding was initially something the team was very strong at, ranking in the top 10, even though it felt like the Magic gave up some critical offensive rebounds.

But things have flipped. The Magic currently ranks 15th in the league with a 72.2-percent defensive rebound rate. Since Wendell Carter left the lineup Nov. 16 (including the one game he played against the Chicago Bulls), the Magic have a defensive rebound rate of 70.3 percent (22nd in the league since then.

Orlando still has to be stronger on the glass. That was something the team cleaned up in the loss Monday against the Brooklyn Nets after it proved a decisive factor in two losses to the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Nets are not a team that attacks the offensive glass a ton. Neither are the Atlanta Hawks, who rank right behind the Magic at 17th in the league in offensive rebound rate. But this is an area that will matter with two solid rebounders in Clint Capela and John Collins lurking.

3-Point shooting struggles

It is weird to say that the Atlanta Hawks are struggling to shoot from deep. But this Hawks team struggles to shoot from deep. They are shooting 32.9 percent from three, 26th in the league. yes, that is worse than the Orlando Magic (33.9 percent, 21st in the league).

This is despite having Trae Young, who is making 31.3 percent on 7.2 attempts per game. Only four rotation players for the Hawks are shooting better than 35 percent from deep. Although oddly, the Hawks are better shooting on the road at 37.2 percent.

Atlanta is still a dangerous 3-point shooting team. The Hawks have players the Magic obviously need to track. They cannot fall asleep and trust these percentages, proof that 3-point shooting is as much about perception as it is actual reality.

But the winner of this game might be the team that hits its threes. That has been a key to Orlando’s wins where the team shoots 38.9 percent and make 11.6 3-pointers per game in victories.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.