- How To Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Florida (Orlando), Monumental Sports Network (Washington, D.C.), NBA League Pass
- STREAM MAGIC-WIZARDS ON FUBO TV
- How to Listen: 104.5 The Beat (Orlando), The Team 980 AM/WFED 1500 AM (Washington, D.C.), NBA Audio League Pass, SiriusXM Channel 214 (Magic)
- FOLLOW LIVE: @OMAGICDAILY
- Tickets: $14-$302+ on StubHub
- Season Series: Magic 121, Wizards 94 in Orlando on Nov. 10; Tonight in Orlando; March 21 in Washington, D.C.; April 3 in Washington, D.C.
Washington Wizards vs. Orlando Magic: Stats and 3 Keys to Watch
Washington | Orlando | |
|---|---|---|
102.3 | Pace | 96.8 |
105.6 | Off. Rtg. | 107.3 |
118.4 | Def. Rtg. | 108.6 |
51.0 | eFG% | 50.3 |
27.8 | O.Reb.% | 30.4 |
15.5 | TO% | 15.0 |
22.8 | FTR | 27.3 |
3. Offensive dregs
If you are hoping to tune into Sunday's game expecting to see an offensive showcase, you are tuning into the wrong game.
The Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards have the two worst offenses in the league. They are the two-worst shooting teams in the league too—the Magic at 30.5 percent and the Wizards at 33.4 percent.
For much of the last two months, the Magic and the Wizards have had the worst net rating in the league too. This is not going to be a pretty one to watch. It could get downright ugly and frustrating—especially considering the Wizards' potential absences due to injury.
The only difference is the Magic can still defend at a high level. And that is the difference in this game. Orlando will defend and will slow the Wizards to a crawl. The Magic will make the Wizards' offense look as bad as the Magic's offense can look.
That will at least be part of the difference. Who can find some breathing room in transition or off of misses? These two teams are just bad at executing in the half-court. It could be a real ugly one.
2. Defense to control pace
The Orlando Magic should have some practice playing a team like the Washington Wizards. Like the Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies, the Washington Wizards try to increase the tempo. If they are going to be inefficient on offense, they will get up as many shots as they can and try to run up the score.
The Magic have been really successful at slowing those two teams down. the Hawks and Grizzlies play with the most possessions per 48 minutes—104.1 and 104.4 respectively. The Magic held them to 99.0 and 101.5 in the past two games. They limited them to 14 and nine fast-break points.
The Magic gave themselves a chance to win both games because they slowed those teams down and controlled the pace—Orlando plays with the second-fewest possessions per 48 minutes.
The way they do that is with their defense. Both Magic coach Jamahl Mosley and Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said defense was the key to either team playing at their pace. The Magic have defended well in each of the last two games. Their defense in general has taken a turn for the better. It will be the key again to score this critical win.
1. Paolo Banchero's revival?
The Orlando Magic hoped the All-Star Break would be a reset for several players who struggled down the stretch. Injuries have played such a big role in this team. No one has struggled more than Paolo Banchero.
After averaging 29.0 points per game on 49.5 percent shooting in the first five games before his injury, Banchero has averaged 21.5 points per game on 39.9 percent shooting in the 19 games since returning from injury. He has indeed struggled to find his footing again.
Banchero promised he would use the All-Star break to rebuild his conditioning and come back refreshed. The results are at least positive and Banchero was showing hints of his All-Star form since returning from the break.
Banchero scored 36 and 21 points in the two games since returning from the break, shooting 11 for 25 in the win over the Atlanta Hawks and just 5 for 21 against the Memphis Grizzlies. But more importantly, Banchero had his first consecutive games with 10 or more free throw attempts since his first two games back. That is a sign of his aggression and willingness to attack downhill.
So too are the scoring bursts he has had.
He had 20 points in the third quarter against the Hawks before the break to keep the team in the game. He had 12 points in the third quarter against the Charlotte Hornets to help the team build some separation. He had 18 points in the second quarter against the Hawks after the break.
Banchero is starting to look more like himself. And that is a positive sign the team can continue to develop.
Washington Wizards vs. Orlando Magic: Injury Report & Projected Lineups
Washington Wizards Injury Report
- Bilal Coulibaly - QUESTIONABLE (Right Knee Contusion)
- Alex Sarr - QUESTIONABLE (Left Ankle Sprain)
- Khris Middleton - OUT (Bilateral Ankle Injury Management)
- Marcus Smart - OUT (Right Index Finger Partial Extensor Hood Tear Injury Management)
- Malcolm Brogdon - OUT (Left Ankle Sprain)
- Saddiq Bey - OUT (Left Knee ACL Surgery)
- Colby Jones - OUT (G-League On Assignment)
- AJ Johnson - OUT (G-League On Assignment)
- Jaylen Martin - OUT (G-League Two-Way)
Orlando Magic Injury Report
- Jalen Suggs - OUT (Left Quad Contusion)
- Moe Wagner - OUT (Left Knee Torn ACL)
- Jonathan Isaac - QUESTIONABLE (Illness)
- Mac McClung - OUT (G-League Two-Way)
- Ethan Thompson - OUT (G-League Two-Way)
Projected Lineups
Washington | Orlando | |
|---|---|---|
Carlton Carrington | PG | Cole Anthony |
Jordan Poole | SG | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope |
Bilal Coulibaly | SF | Franz Wagner |
Kyshawn George | PF | Paolo Banchero |
Alex Sarr | C | Wendell Carter |
Washington Wizards vs. Orlando Magic: Prediction
Our Record: 33-25/27-31 ATS
The Orlando Magic need to face an opponent where they can make mistakes. More than that, they need to face an opponent where they can make mistakes and they thoroughly dominate.
It has been a while since the Orlando Magic blew out an opponent and won by 20 or more points—not since the win over the Sacramento Kings.
Even their 102-86 win over the Charlotte Hornets before the All-Star Break with the Hornets missing most of their top scorers was uneasy for long stretches before the Magic put the hammer down in the third quarter.
The Magic need an effort that feels easy and can help bring confidence, even if this is what was expected.
More than that, Friday's loss to the Memphis Grizzlies felt eerily similar to the double-overtime loss to the Miami Heat. After that Miami Heat game, the Orlando Magic went on the road and dropped two frustrating games to the Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz, two teams at the bottom of the standings.
The Magic cannot let Friday's loss become another loss and begin a losing streak. They must take care of business on their home floor.
That is what is on the line in this game. The Magic need a professional win more than anything to prove they can still win that way and that devastating losses do not affect them.
To say the least, with everything on the line, the Magic must obliterate the Wizards to maintain their spot in the standings. This is simply not a game the Magic can afford to drop or leave in jeopardy at all.