- How To Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Florida (Orlando), BlazerVision (Portland), KUNP/KATU 2.2 (Portland), NBA League Pass
- STREAM MAGIC-BLAZERS ON FUBO TV
- How to Listen: WYGM 96.9 FM/740AM (Orlando), Rip City Radio 620 (Portland), NBA Audio League Pass, SiriusXM Channel 214 (Blazers)
- FOLLOW LIVE: @OMAGICDAILY
- Tickets: $2-$215+ on StubHub
- Season Series: Blazers 101, Magic 79 in Orlando on Jan. 23; Tonight in Portland
Orlando Magic vs. Portland Trail Blazers: Stats and 3 Keys to Watch
Orlando | Portland | |
|---|---|---|
96.6 | Pace | 99.1 |
107.3 | Off. Rtg. | 109.2 |
108.1 | Def. Rtg. | 116.1 |
50.5 | eFG% | 51.8 |
30.4 | O.Reb.% | 32.1 |
15.4 | TO% | 16.4 |
27.1 | FTR | 23.9 |
3. Free Throw leaders and losers
The Orlando Magic are last or near the bottom in every offensive category. They are 29th in offensive rating and 30th in 3-point field goal percentage. The team is even last in possessions per 48 minutes.
There is one offensive stat however where the Magic are king.
The Magic lead the league in free throw rate at 27.1 percent. Orlando has been elite at getting to the line ever since Paolo Banchero arrived. And the team even has a 29.9 percent free throw rate in the nine games since Banchero returned from his oblique injury—nearly three free throw attempts for every 10 field goal attempts.
The Magic are usually most successful when they control the trips to the line and impose themselves physically on opponents.
Of course, there is the other side of this: The Magic have to make their free throws.
Despite being seventh in free throw attempts per game (23.2) and leading the league in free throw rate, Orlando is 26th in the league in free throw percentage at 76.2 percent. In the last nine games since Banchero returned, the Magic are second in free throw attempts per game (26.1 per game) but last in the league in percentage at 68.5 percent.
That is a lot of points left on the board. And making free throws is the difference between winning and losing.
2. Hot for Portland
The Orlando Magic played solid statistical defense in their loss to the Portland Trail Blazers last week. They gave up a spurt of points in the second and third quarters and lost contact with an offense that was completely anemic.
The Blazers' momentum has continued since that game.
Portland has won five of its past six games. The Blazers have a +8.6 net rating with an incredible 106.0 defensive rating during that stretch. It was not just the Magic struggling with the Blazers. The Portland Trail Blazers beat the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night. They ran them off the court.
This is not a pushover Portland team right now. Things are clicking for several players and the Blazers have enough veterans to play still that they are competent. The Magic will not find them easy to crack once again.
1. Gary Harris Impact?
Gary Harris has become the butt of many jokes among Orlando Magic fans lately. He has missed the last 13 games with a strained left hamstring and 27 of the last 30 with the injury. Harris was already criticized for not being involved enough offensively.
But Harris is part of a wave of Magic players returning from injury. And they will all contribute.
Like Goga Bitadze, Gary Harris is one of the team's plus/minus All-Stars.
The Magic have a +7.4 net rating (107.4 offensive rating/100.0 defensive rating) when Harris is on the floor. That at least hints that he is a solid enough defender and good positionally for the team.
His return also brings back a shooter defenses must respect. Harris is shooting 35.2 percent from three this year. Giving this team some more spacing even in theory is a big boost for them.
Orlando Magic vs. Portland Trail Blazers: Injury Report & Projected Lineups
Orlando Magic Injury Report
- Jalen Suggs - QUESTIONABLE (Left Quad Contusion)
- Moe Wagner - OUT (Torn Left ACL)
- Gary Harris - PROBABLE (Left Hamstring Strain)
- Mac McClung - OUT (G-League Two-Way)
Portland Trail Blazers Injury Report
- Jerami Grant - QUESTIONABLE (Right Ankle Soreness)
- Matisse Thybulle - OUT (Right Ankle Sprain)
- Rayan Rupert - OUT (G-League On Assignment)
Projected Lineups
Orlando | Portland | |
|---|---|---|
Anthony Black | PG | Anfernee Simons |
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | SG | Deni Avdija |
Franz Wagner | SF | Toumani Camara |
Paolo Banchero | PF | Jerami Grant |
Goga Bitadze | C | Deandre Ayton |
Orlando Magic vs. Portland Trail Blazers: Prediction
Our Record: 28-20/23-25 ATS
The Orlando Magic know there is a ceiling they have to punch through right now. They are starting to see their team come together and play better more consistently, even with a few things to clean up.
The trick right now is getting to the finish line. Undoubtedly Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner can play heavier minutes, but they are not always effective late in the game at this point.
At some point, they will build the conditioning to get through. The only way to do that is experience.
But the loss Monday to the Miami Heat should not be so discouraging. The team was excellent through the first 3.5 quarters. And if Duncan Robinson does not hit those two threes to cut the lead in half suddenly, the Magic probably hold on to win.
Take that with the strong win over the Detroit Pistons. It feels like the Orlando Magic are coming out of the wilderness.
Their two starring players should be getting stronger and improving with each time out. And Orlando is doing more things that look like themselves.
The Portland Trail Blazers are playing really well right now. The Magic will have to be locked in on defense. Considering how much they struggled down the stretch Monday, the Magic should play a much stronger defensive game.
The Blazers are still seemingly beatable during this winning stretch, so long as they keep up pressure on the rim.