The Brooklyn Nets are only ahead of the Orlando Magic by half a game in the standings, and that fact should add even more flavor in the upcoming meeting between these two playoff hopefuls. Will the Magic show Brooklyn who’s the real “home team” at Disney World? Or will the Nets buck the odds and take down Orlando? The sportsbook likes Orlando, as do early bettors. The spread favoring the Magic opened at -6.5 on Saturday evening and moved to -7.5 by Sunday (July 26) so confidence is high in Florida’s central team.
Orlando was weaving its magic just before the season got paused, stringing together three wins in a row last March, including a 126-106 win over the Houston Rockets on the road. The Magic are close to full strength as of this writing, with Jonathan Isaac the only key player whose availability at Disney World is up in the air. Isaac is in Orlando, but he’s yet to be cleared to join a scrimmage game due to a knee issue. Al-Farouq Aminu is also not in Orlando, which means an added onus on Aaron Gordon to perform well as a small and power forward. Gordon balled out the last time the Magic faced Brooklyn, as the former Arizona Wildcats star led his team with an all-around game, recording 27 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and two assists. Big man Nikola Vucevic also had a double-double of 16 points and 10 boards to help Orlando get a 115-113 win on the road. Markelle Fultz has averaged 18.7 points on 59.5 field goal percentage over Orlando’s last three games, and he’s looking to pick up where he left off when the Magic meets Brooklyn.
The Magic are 4-0 against the spread in their last four games.
Betting on the Brooklyn Nets (+7.5)
Regular Season Record: 30-34
All-Stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving will have to wait for the next season before they can play together and help Brooklyn become a truly relevant team in the NBA. For now, the Nets are going to rely on a bunch of names casual fans might not be familiar with. However, the Nets still have the talent to cause problems for weaker teams in the Orlando bubble like Orlando. On the Nets’ Orlando roster are the likes of Caris LeVert, Joe Harris, and Jarrett Allen. With Spencer Dinwiddie also out and the absences of Durant and Irving, LeVert will have the usage he aspires to show why he’s one of the most underrated players in the NBA. LeVert, a former star in Ann Arbor, is averaging 17.7 points, 4.1 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game this season. Harris is another scoring threat for Brooklyn, largely due to his outside shooting. Harris is making 41.2 percent of his shots from deep. He scored 16 points and went 3 for 7 from behind the arc in the Nets’ 101-89 road loss to Orlando last January. As for Allen, he’ll provide the interior defense and rebounding for Brooklyn, especially with DeAndre Jordan sitting out.
The Nets are 6-4 against the spread in their last 10 games.
