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- Season Series:Â Magic 119, Timberwolves 92 in Minneapolis on March 7; Tonight in Orlando
Orlando Magic vs. Minnesota Timberwolves: Stats and 3 Keys to Watch
Minnesota | Orlando | |
|---|---|---|
101.5 | Pace | 100.4 |
115.2 | Off. Rtg. | 114.1 |
111.9 | Def. Rtg. | 113.9 |
55.7 | eFG% | 53.0 |
30.2 | O.Reb.% | 30.3 |
14.6 | TO% | 13.9 |
28.5 | FTR | 31.2 |
1. Home cooking
The Orlando Magic play their final regular-season game at the Kia Center.
They only need one more win to guarantee a home postseason game. So this may not be their last time in the building. The Magic will certainly be eager to have a key game at home next week (or, better, the week after).
Orlando is 24-15 at the Kia Center this year, posting a relatively average +1.3 net rating (114.6 offensive rating/113.3 defensive rating). The Magic have had a lot of bad losses at home. But some of their best wins have come on their home floor this year.
They definitely feed off the energy. No one more so than Jalen Suggs.
Suggs averages 15.1 points per game and shoots 36.4 percent from three in home games. He averages 11.8 points per game and shoots 27.1 percent away from home. That is a huge difference.
No one is as big a swing as that.
The Magic have made protecting home one of their chief goals. They have had some ups and downs. They have largely done that. And a final regular season win should bring plenty of confidence for the big games ahead.
2. Win the paint, win the game
The Orlando Magic are not a good three-point shooting team. So much of their offensive strategy makes up for that by going into the paint and dominating the interior on both sides.
That is what the Orlando Magic did in their win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in March. They outscored the Wolves 60-52 in the paint during that game. It was a huge victory for Orlando.
The Magic have not been as strong in the paint this year. They are 13th in the league with 50.8 points in the paint per game. Orlando is 18th giving up 51.1 points in the paint per game.
The Magic need to win the paint to win most games that they play.
That is something Minnesota has struggld to do.
The Timberwolves are 16th with 49.9 points in the paint per game this season. It is a big reason their offense has been all over the place.
3. Another weakened opponent
It is that time of the year when teams are sitting players either to tank or to prepare for the Playoffs. With the Houston Rockets defeating the Phoenix Suns, the Minnesota Timberwolves are now locked into the 6-seed and cannot move up or down.
Predictably, after last night's win against the Indiana Pacers, the Minnesota Timberwolves are sitting several players. Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, Rudy Goert, Mike Conley and Ayo Dosunmu are OUT.
The Orlando Magic have gotten some schedule luck to end the season with the players who have missed time and have not been able to play.
That has let the Magic make some mistakes and find themselves again in this stretch. After all, they trailed by 15 to the New Orleans Pelicans before rallying to that win. Orlando still needs to play.
But the door is wide open to get a fourth straight win with two favorable situations ahead on the road.
Orlando Magic vs. Minnesota Timberwolves: Injury Report & Projected Lineups
Minnesota Timberwolves Injury Report
- Anthony Edwards - OUT (Right Knee Injury Maintenance)
- Julius Randle - OUT (Right Hand Soreness)
- Rudy Gobert - OUT (Rest)
- Mike Conley - OUT (Rest)
- Ayo Dosunmu - OUT (Right Calf Injury Maintenance)
- Jaden McDaniels - QUESTIONABLE (Left Knee Patella Tendinopathy)
Orlando Magic Injury Report
- Wendell Carter - QUESTIONABLE (Nasal Fracture)
- Jonathan Isaac - OUT (Left Knee Sprain)
- Jamal Cain - QUESTIONABLE (Left Calf Contusion)
- Jett Howard - OUT (Left Ankle Sprain)
Projected Starting Lineups
Minnesota | Orlando | |
|---|---|---|
Bones Hyland | PG | Jalen Suggs |
Donte DiVincenzo | SG | Desmond Bane |
Jaylen Clark | SF | Franz Wagner |
Kyle Anderson | PF | Paolo Banchero |
Naz Reid | C | Wendell Carter |
Orlando Magic vs. Minnesota Timberwolves: Prediction
Our Record: 50-29/34-45 ATS
The Minnesota Timberwolves are sitting four of their five starters in this game. They are on the second night of a back to back with nothing to play for. If the Orlando Magic do not take care of their business in this game, there will be appropriate hand-wringing.
The Orlando Magic have largely responded to the frustrations from the loss to the Atlanta Hawks a week ago. They have played with better spirit and intensity. That is the first step for this team. That has gotten them back in a good groove, even if their play has not been perfect.
They have seen how they can be in danger even against opponents not at full strength too. The Magic still need to be sharp and play well to win this game.
But with their fully healthy roster -- Wendell Carter is expected to play, giving the Magic their top seven players together for the first time since Dec. 7 -- this team has the talent that should be more than enough to race past this Minnesota Timberwolves team.
That sets the Magic up for a strong road trip and a chance to escape the Play-In.