- How To Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Florida (Orlando); CW18 (Orlando); Space City Home Network (Houston); NBA League Pass (National)
- STREAM MAGIC-ROCKETS ON FUBO TV
- How to Listen: WYGM 96.9 FM/740AM (Orlando); 790 AM (Houston); Sirius XM Channel 86 (Rockets); NBA Audio League Pass (National)
- FOLLOW LIVE: @OMAGICDAILY
- Tickets: $42-$282+ on StubHub
- Season Series: Tonight in Houston; Feb. 26 in Orlando
Orlando Magic at Houston Rockets: Stats and 3 Keys to Watch
Orlando | Houston | |
|---|---|---|
100.8 | Pace | 98.9 |
114.7 | Off. Rtg. | 124.5 |
113.0 | Def. Rtg. | 112.5 |
53.7 | eFG% | 57.2 |
34.0 | O.Reb.% | 41.2 |
16.4 | TO% | 15.9 |
37.7 | FTR | 30.8 |
3. Rebounding in focus
Any time you face the Houston Rockets, rebounding is always the main focus.
The Rockets were one of the best offensive rebounding teams last year, thanks to their immense size, which featured a combination of Alperen Sengun, Steven Adams and Jabari Smith. Like the Orlando Magic, they were unabashed with their physicality, and they targeted offensive rebounding as their ticket to counteract their suspect shooting.
The Rockets again lead the league with an incredible 41.2 percent offensive rebound rate. They average a league-high 20.5 second-chance points per game. This is a team that attacks the glass.
Orlando has struggled on this front this season, but has steadily improved, especially during the last eight games.
The Magic are ninth with a 70.3 percent defensive rebound rate. But Orlando defends well when they give up offensive rebounds, giving up only 14.2 second-chance points, sixth in the league.
In last year's pair of games, offensive rebounding was decisive. The Rockets had a 43.1 percent offensive rebound rate and scored 19.5 second-chance points per game, both the most against the Magic last year.
This game comes down to winning the glass in a lot of ways.
2. What's the pace?
With the Houston Rockets playing so big and having one of the best half-court players in the league in Kevin Durant, it is no wonder they play at a relatively slow pace.
The Houston Rockets are 27th in the league, playing at 98.9 possessions per 48 minutes (the Brooklyn Nets are 28th, for some reference on the kind of pace to expect in this game).
The difference is, of course, the Rockets have the most efficient offense in the league, even if they are 18th with just 15.0 fast break points per game.
The Orlando Magic have tried to generate some offense simply by being better in transition and injecting some pace into their game.
But Orlando has slowed down. In the last eight games, where the team has gone 6-2, the team went from a relative breakneck 103.9 possessions per 48 minutes to a glacial 98.8 possessions per 48 minutes. The Magic have gone from 17.2 fastbreak points per game to 17.5 per game.
Slowing the pace has not changed the Magic's effectiveness in transition. They seem to have hit on something by playing slower. And that might be some relief against a team like the Rockets.
1. Getting to the line
The Orlando Magic supplement their poor three-point shooting in a number of ways.
Last year, at least, it was creating turnovers and gaining extra possessions through their defense. This year, it has been second-chance points and getting out in transition more.
The other way has always been free throws.
Ever since Paolo Banchero arrived, he has been a machine at getting to the line. It turned the Magic from a team that could not buy free throws if they were available to sale to one with an excess of free throw opportunities.
This year, the team leads the league in free-throw rate. And that is in part thanks to Paolo Banchero's 9.3 free throw attempts per game.
Being without him hurts the Magic's ability to get to the line. They shot only 21 free throws (10 from Franz Wagner) in Friday's win over the Brooklyn Nets. That came out to a 26.9 percent free-throw rate.
Against a better defensive team in the Houston Rockets, the Magic must find a way to get to the line.
Orlando Magic at Houston Rockets: Injury Report & Projected Lineups
Orlando Magic Injury Report
- Paolo Banchero - OUT (Left Groin Strain)
- Franz Wagner - AVAILABLE (Face Mask)
- Moe Wagner - OUT (Left Knee Injury Recovery)
- Colin Castleton - OUT (G-League Two-Way)
Houston Rockets Injury Report
- Fred VanVleet - OUT (Right Knee ACL Repair)
- Tari Eason - OUT (Right Oblique Strain)
- Dorian Finney-Smith - OUT (Left Ankle Surgery)
- Kevon Harris - OUT (G-League Two-Way)
- Isaiah Crawford - OUT (G-League Two-Way)
Projected Starting Lineups
Orlando | Houston | |
|---|---|---|
Jalen Suggs | PG | Amen Thompson |
Desmond Bane | SG | Josh Okogie |
Franz Wagner | SF | Kevin Durant |
Tristan da Silva | PF | Jabari Smith Jr. |
Wendell Carter | C | Alperen Sengun |
Orlando Magic at Houston Rockets: Prediction
Our Record: 5-8/4-9 ATS
The Orlando Magic have been feasting on bad teams during this 6-2 stretch. There is no shame in that. You need to beat the bad teams. They all count the same.
The real test has always been whether the Magic can consistently defeat the best teams in the league. That is why Wednesday's win over the New York Knicks was so vital. It was a sign the Magic could put all the pieces together and topple a team playing well and near the top of the conference and league.
After Friday's let-down win over the Brooklyn Nets, where the Orlando Magic needed a closing 11-0 run to finish the game and secure the win, the Magic should play a lot better. It should lead to a sharper focus and a sharper game.
The Magic will get blown out if they play like they did Friday. The Houston Rockets are too good to be lax.
Without Paolo Banchero, the Magic must play sharper to have a chance.
Orlando has turned a corner. The team is playing better and should be more effective. It should be able to compete. But it may still be a tall task to take on a Rockets team built to exploit some of the Magic's biggest weaknesses.