Orlando Magic at Washington Wizards (March 21, 2025): 3 Things to Watch, Odds, and Prediction

• 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: WYGM 96.9 FM/740AM (Orlando), The TEAM 980 AM / WFED 1500 AM (Washington, D.C.), NBA Audio League Pass, SiriusXM Channel 212 (Wizards)
• FOLLOW LIVE: @OMAGICDAILY
• Tickets: $23-$255+ on StubHub
• Season Series: Magic 121, Wizards 94 in Orlando on Nov. 10; Magic 110, Wizards 90 in Orlando on Feb. 23; Tonight in Washington, D.C.; April 3 in Washington, D.C.

Orlando Magic vs. Washington Wizards: Stats and 3 Keys to Watch

3. 3-point... surge?

The Orlando Magic certainly lost the game against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday because of their poor 3-point shooting. They missed nine straight threes in the second and third quarters as the Rockets took control and were 9 for 35 for the game. Sometimes the shots do not fall and that is such a big thing with how this Magic team is playing

But . . . that game has been the recent outlier for Orlando.

In March, the Magic are shooting 34.9 percent from three, good for 18th in the league.

They have five players shooting 40 percent or better—including Kentavious Caldwell-Pope who is hitting 41.4 percent on 3.6 attempts per game. Paolo Banchero is shooting 40.4 percent from three. Even Anthony Black has snuck above 40 percent in his nine games in March.

Orlando has shot better than 35 percent from three in five of the last eight games. The Magic are 15-7 in games where they shoot 35 percent or better from three.

That has not quite translated to wins fully yet. The Magic are 3-6 in the month. Orlando has work to do to get back to .500 this month. But the team is starting to hit shots a bit more regularly.

2. Tanks for playing?

Here is a potentially disturbing fact to chew on. The Washington Wizards are 6-8 since the All-Star break, one game better than the Orlando Magic's 5-9 record.

The Wizards are still the Wizards. They are coming off a 128-112 loss to the equally unmotivated Utah Jazz. But they will take a 2-4 road trip that included a buzzer-beating win over the Denver Nuggets.

The Wizards are still who they are though. They play at a fast pace and try to overwhelm teams with possessions. Their defense is spotty and their ofense is somehow worse than the Magic's. A hot game from Jordan Poole is about the only way they can win—and they still have Khris Middleton waiting in the wings.

Washington can be dangerous even without Bilal Coulibaly in the lineup. And the Wizards will play hard despite all the obstacles the team is surely putting in front of them.

A loss though will eliminate Washington from postseason contention. Maybe that is a victory for the team.

1. AB vs. the Wizards

So much of the story for the Orlando Magic is trying to find some consistency from key reserve and role players. No player seems to swing Magic results quite like Anthony Black.

Black is averaging 10.5 points per game and shooting 42.7 percent from three in wins. He is averaging 7.6 points per game and shooting 19.8 percent from three in losses. Black's play is a pretty good indicator of whether the Magic are going to win or not it seems.

Fortunately for him, the Washington Wizards have been one of his favorite opponents.

In the two games against the Wizards this year, Black has scored 35 points (17.5 points per game) and shot 6 for 8 from three. It is not just this year either. In six career games against the Wizards, Black is averaging 13.2 points per game and shooting 70 percent (14 for 20) from three.

Something about the Wizards fits his eye -- the terrible defense might be it.

Orlando Magic vs. Washington Wizards: Injury Report & Projected Lineups

Orlando Magic Injury Report

• Jalen Suggs - OUT (Left Knee Trochlea Cartilage Tear)
• Moe Wagner - OUT (Left Knee Torn ACL)
• Cole Anthony - QUESTIONABLE (Left Big Toe Strain)
• Trevelin Queen - QUESTIONABLE (Left Ankle Sprain)
• Ethan Thompson - OUT (G-League Two-Way)

Washington Wizards Injury Report

• Bilal Coulibaly - OUT (Right Hamstring Strain)
• Corey Kispert - OUT (Left Thumb Surgery)
• Marcus Smart - OUT (Right Index Finger; Patrial Extensor Hood Tear Injury Management)
• Malcolm Brogdon - OUT (Left Ankle Sprain)
• Saddiq Bey - OUT (Left Knee ACL Surgery)

Projected Lineups

Orlando Magic vs. Washington Wizards: Prediction

Our Record: 37-33/33-37 ATS

The Orlando Magic can feel themselves playing better recently. It is not just the big win over the Cleveland Cavaliers from Sunday. The Magic are making more shots and finding some rhythm offensively. The defense is still solid, but not elite. So there are still pieces to put together.

That is what Wednesday's loss showed as much as anything else. Orlando is still struggling to put together a solid 48-minute effort. The Magic's third-quarter lull in Wednesday's loss put them in too deep a hole to dig out of.

Orlando has not quite proven it can take advantage of teams that give the team some margin for error. The Orlando Magic had lulls in both of their losses to the Toronto Raptors and nearly rallied to steal back the wins. That means they are not out of the woods even against struggling teams like the Washington Wizards.

But the Magic are playing well enough right now that they should be able to handle a team like the Wizards like they did in New Orleans a week ago.