- How To Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Florida (Orlando); CW 18 (Orlando); FanDuel Sports Network Southwest (San Antonio); NBA League Pass (National)
- STREAM MAGIC-SPURS ON FUBO TV
- How to Listen: WYGM 96.9 FM (Orlando); 740 AM (Orlando); WOAI/KXTN (San Antonio); Sirius XM Channel 216 (Spurs); NBA Audio League Pass (National)
- FOLLOW LIVE: @OMAGICDAILY
- Tickets: $36-$604+ on StubHub
- Season Series: Spurs 114, Magic 112 in Orlando on Dec. 3; Tonight in San Antonio
Orlando Magic at San Antonio Spurs: Stats and 3 Keys to Watch
Orlando | San Antonio | |
|---|---|---|
100.6 | Pace | 100.4 |
114.1 | Off. Rtg. | 116.3 |
114.3 | Def. Rtg. | 111.4 |
52.8 | eFG% | 54.6 |
31.5 | O.Reb.% | 30.0 |
13.7 | TO% | 13.6 |
30.8 | FTR | 28.8 |
1. It's all about shooting
Quite simply, life is good when you are making shots. There is no other way around it. And that is a feeling the Orlando Magic have had far too infrequently, especially for a team with playoff ambitions.
The Magic still rank 27th in the league in 3-point field goal percentage (34.3 percent) and 25th in makes at 11.3 per game. The Magic are not a high-volume shooting team and they are not a high-percentage team either.
It is often frustrating to watch the Magic try to shoot. They have loads of games where they simply miss open threes.
This two-game win streak? The Orlando Magic made 16 of 38 threes in the win over the Miami Heat and then 17 of 34 from three against the Toronto Raptors. It was the first time the Magic shot better than 40 percent from three in consecutive games since the first games of January against the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers.
Shooting has remained a major frustration. But everyone looks good and feels good when the shots fall.
That is something the San Antonio Spurs know. Even with Victor Wembanyama creating a lot of gravity, San Antonio shoots just 34.7 percent from three. That is despite having some excellent shooters on the team.
Making shots kind of matters.
2. The Wemby stopper?
So how do you stop a 7-foot-4 center who can also handle the ball on the perimeter and the size to eat people up on the inside? That is a question the league is going to be asking for the next decade-plus. Victory Wembanyama has taken the league by storm.
If there is someone who can stop him, it is someone like Jonathan Isaac -- another agile 7-footer (or near 7-footer) who has the strength to handle the size in the post but the mobility to guard on the perimeter.
Isaac has had some success against Wembanyama in his career.
In three career games against the Magic, Wembanyama and Isaac have been matched against each other for 7:12, according to NBA.com's tracking stats. Wembanyama has totaled nine points, 32 team points and shot four for nine.
Granted, that is not a lot of time. Wembanyama did not play in the game in December and most of their minutes against each other came in their first matchup in January 2024, where Wembanyama shot 2 for 7.
That includes this block from Isaac on Wembanyama from that debut game.
Isaac is playing more recently and playing a lot more effectively. He was game-changing on defense in Wednesday's win over the Miami Heat. He provided solid defensive energy in Friday's win over the Toronto Raptors.
Isaac should be a key cog in the plans to defend Wembanyama. And he should be in the rotation for the time being.
3. Trending in the right direction
Desmond Bane has been one of the voices of calm throughout the season. He has still fought to find his fit with the team and find how he can best add his experience and leadership.
His shooting 52.9 percent from three (18 for 34) in his last five games and 40.6 pecent in his last 10 games certainly helps. Bane is starting to percolate from deep. And if the Magic have figured other aspects of their game out, he is going to be a big boost.
Bane has been the one shouting the loudest that the team has been trending in the right direction. Even after the losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers he was painting a positive picture that the team was moving in the right direction.
After two straight wins, it does not feel like a hope anymore. It feels like he had a good feel for his team.
There is still work to do. But after nearly two months of frustrating basketball, the Magic seem to have some life in them again. And they are in a position to keep building and growing in their confidence.
Orlando Magic at San Antonio Spurs: Injury Report & Projected Lineups
Orlando Magic Injury Report
- Franz Wagner - OUT (Left High Ankle Sprain Injury Management)
- Colin Castleton - OUT (G-League Two-Way)
San Antonio Spurs Injury Report
- Jeremy Sochan - DOUBTFUL (Left Quad Soreness)
- Harrison Ingram - OUT (G-League Two-Way)
- Stanley Umude - OUT (G-League Two-Way)
- David Jones Garcia - OUT (G-League Two-Way)
Projected Starting Lineups
Orlando | San Antonio | |
|---|---|---|
Jalen Suggs | PG | De'Aaron Fox |
Desmond Bane | SG | Stephon Castle |
Anthony Black | SF | Devin Vassell |
Paolo Banchero | PF | Julian Champagnie |
Wendell Carter | C | Victor Wembanyama |
Orlando Magic at San Antonio Spurs: Prediction
Our Record: 27-20/20-27 ATS
The Orlando Magic need to be sharp without a doubt. The San Antonio Spurs are one of the best teams in the league. And stealing a win in this game -- or on this road trip -- will go a long way for them.
But the story of this game is being written by something that is out of anyone's control.
The San Antonio Spurs lost to the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday afternoon and then could not get out of Charlotte as a winter storm approached North Carolina. The Spurs were forced to spend the night in Charlotte while the Magic waited in Texas.
On Sunday, the Spurs' early flight home was redirected to Atlanta. At the time of publishing, it does not seem like the Spurs will get to San Antonio until after noon local time.
The league already postponed the game from 3 p.m. Central Time to 6 p.m. Central Time. There may be another delay or an outright cancellation to play the game on another day.
If they play this game, the Magic will have a major advantage. It is simply hard to perform at a high level when you are jumping off a plan a few hours before.
Then again, the Magic had a rest advantage for the game in Orlando in December. The Spurs were on a back-to-back coming East from Memphis and frustrated a Magic team that did not have its ducks fully in a row.
Orlando seems to have that focus now. And this should be a win if the Magic play with intensity and energy.