We have a situational spot in this game as the Orlando Magic certainly won’t take this game lightly because they have a bad taste on their mouths after losing at home in the final second against this Heat team.
After that loss, the Magic are 8-2 and last night they had an easy game against the Raptors. The Magic easily spanked the Raptors 118-99 in which they shot 57.3% from the field and 14-30 behind the arc so we can say that the Magic are pretty confident coming for this game. Because it was an early rout, Stan Van Gundy could rest their starters for this game and Dwight Howard was the most utilized player with “only” 34 minutes.
Meanwhile the Magic finally broke their slump by spanking the Raptors at home 115-95. Note that they were 1-4 L5 games prior to that game and they already showed some problems this season to compete against top caliber teams. Against the Raptors they shot 51.7% from the field, they outrebounded the Raptors 45-32 with 12-4 in offensive boards and scored 52 points in the paint. However we must not forget that the Heat faced a “soft” opponent in Toronto and tonight we can be sure that the Magic won’t be soft against them. The Magic are the third best team in the league protecting the paint and the best team in % defensive rebounding.
In “that” game between these two teams, Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis had sub par performances by combining to shot 6-20 from the field, for tonight look for them to have big performances and the Magic to roll past Miami completing their revenge in front of a national audience. Take the Magic in here.
Pick: 3 Units (Single Dime Play) on 703 Orlando Magic (-4)
Although the Chicago Bulls are only 1-6 in their last 7 games they showed an interesting improvement last game against the Lakers and even though they lost the game it was a good sign for them in the future. This team somehow lacked to play with heart and desire prior to that game but against the Lakers it was different: they grabbed 22 offensive rebounds, they got 9 steals and they blocked 14 (!) field goals! Against a “normal team” that would be enough for the Bulls to get a win but on the other side there was Kobe Bryant and he was virtually unstoppable by connecting 15-26 from the field and scored 42 points. The good news for the Bulls is that tonight they won’t face a superstar player and a top caliber team but… the Knicks.
The Knicks are playing their best basketball of the season but still I have some doubts about their level. After riding a 4-game winning streak they failed to win last game in Charlotte by being outscored 13-28 in the fourth quarter. Note that we are dealing about a jump shooting team: if they are hot then they will be competitive otherwise they simply will destroy themselves by taking bad shot after bad shot. Against the Hornets and the Blazers, the Knicks shot 13-25 and 13-26 behind the arc and they were able to win. Against the Bobcats they shot 7-25 with 2-12 to finish the game and naturally they fell short at the end. I remember that the Bulls are a good defensive team on the perimeter as they are the second best team in the league in allowing their opponents to shot only 30.8% behind the arc.
The Bulls will come out with some sense of urgency to get a home win while the Knicks will end tonight their 3-game road trip and with a home game tomorrow against the Clippers I don’t expect them to be so focused as the Bulls. Take the Bulls tonight as my single dime play.
Pick: 3 Units (Single Dime Play) on 702 Chicago Bulls (-3)
Andre Gomes 12/17
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