Two teams with a combined three wins meet in Phoenix tonight, and only one of them is fresh. Orlando opens a four-game Western trip after two days off, while the Suns are back on the floor one night after Portland beat them 132-119. That's why I'm taking Magic +1.5. These teams are close in quality, so the rest edge and the matchup decide it for me, and Orlando can even lose by 1 and still cover. This is Phoenix's first back-to-back of the season and its third game in four nights. Goodwin is out too, and Gillespie is 2-of-13 over the last two games at a spot where Chris Haynes has already reported locker-room frustration over the lack of a point guard. Orlando, meanwhile, gets Black back. Don't read too much into the Magic's 94-point loss Monday: it came on the second night of their own back-to-back, without Black, and included a 9-point third quarter. The matchup to watch is Orlando's shooting against Phoenix's three-point defense. The Suns have allowed at least 116 points in all six games, about 125-126 per 100 possessions with or without that 41-point opening loss in Portland. Opponents are shooting 40.3% from deep against them. Orlando's only two wins both came with 18 made threes, and the Magic made 8 to 14 in the five losses. Bane is 15-of-31 from three over the last three games. Fouls could tilt it further. Phoenix committed 29 in each of its last two games, sending opponents to the line 41 and 37 times. Booker fouled out of both, and Bridges, Green and Brooks each had 5 last night. Wagner went 8-of-9 at the line at Toronto and Black went 10-of-11 against Boston, so Orlando can make them pay. The Suns have a real case. Since the opener they're scoring about 120 per 100 and losing by 5.0 a game against a tough schedule, while Orlando is losing by 6.8 a game since Banchero went out. Booker also dropped 43 on Golden State. Orlando's offense is the bigger worry, at about 109 per 100 without Banchero, with 17.3 turnovers a game and 18 in each of the last two. Wagner and Bane have been carrying 36 to 40 minutes a night. If the Magic turn it over like that or go cold from three, Phoenix probably covers. At -118 this is a modest play, not a big one. I'd pass if Black is a late scratch.
Two teams with a combined three wins meet in Phoenix tonight, and only one of them is fresh. Orlando opens a four-game Western trip after two days off, while the Suns are back on the floor one night after Portland beat them 132-119.
That's why I'm taking Magic +1.5. These teams are close in quality, so the rest edge and the matchup decide it for me, and Orlando can even lose by 1 and still cover.
This is Phoenix's first back-to-back of the season and its third game in four nights. Goodwin is out too, and Gillespie is 2-of-13 over the last two games at a spot where Chris Haynes has already reported locker-room frustration over the lack of a point guard. Orlando, meanwhile, gets Black back. Don't read too much into the Magic's 94-point loss Monday: it came on the second night of their own back-to-back, without Black, and included a 9-point third quarter.
The matchup to watch is Orlando's shooting against Phoenix's three-point defense. The Suns have allowed at least 116 points in all six games, about 125-126 per 100 possessions with or without that 41-point opening loss in Portland. Opponents are shooting 40.3% from deep against them. Orlando's only two wins both came with 18 made threes, and the Magic made 8 to 14 in the five losses. Bane is 15-of-31 from three over the last three games.
Fouls could tilt it further. Phoenix committed 29 in each of its last two games, sending opponents to the line 41 and 37 times. Booker fouled out of both, and Bridges, Green and Brooks each had 5 last night. Wagner went 8-of-9 at the line at Toronto and Black went 10-of-11 against Boston, so Orlando can make them pay.
The Suns have a real case. Since the opener they're scoring about 120 per 100 and losing by 5.0 a game against a tough schedule, while Orlando is losing by 6.8 a game since Banchero went out. Booker also dropped 43 on Golden State. Orlando's offense is the bigger worry, at about 109 per 100 without Banchero, with 17.3 turnovers a game and 18 in each of the last two. Wagner and Bane have been carrying 36 to 40 minutes a night. If the Magic turn it over like that or go cold from three, Phoenix probably covers.
At -118 this is a modest play, not a big one. I'd pass if Black is a late scratch.
Magic +1.5