It took four games, but the Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets are finally got their first wins of the 2015-16 NBA season. Unfortunately, someone’s certainly going to fall back down to the loss column when the two teams meet in Houston on Wednesday.
The Magic have shown improvement defensively under new head coach Scott Skiles. But can they contain the incredible offensive talents of James Harden?
Read on for our preview of this midweek NBA matchup. And for more of Wednesday’s top games, check out our previews of the Knicks vs. Cavs and Clippers vs. Warriors.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Orlando Magic vs. Houston Rockets Preview
Where: Toyota Center, Houston
When: Wednesday, November 4, 9:00 PM ET
Line: Orlando Magic (+8.5) at Houston Rockets (-8.5); total 208.0 – view all NBA lines
Betting on the Orlando Magic
After three-straight losses to start the season, the Orlando Magic finally got off the schneid with a big 103-94 over the struggling New Orleans Pelicans. Evan Fournier led the way with 30 points for the Magic, while big man Nikola Vucevic added 22 points and 12 rebounds.
[sc:NBA240banner ]Fournier, who was inserted into the starting lineup by new head coach Scott Skiles for his shooting ability, has had a hot start to the season. He’s averaging 23.7 points per game in his last three, and leads the team in scoring with 18.5 points per game on the season. Vucevic has also been very solid in the early going, with 18 points and nine rebounds per game.
The Magic have been very feisty in their first four games under Skiles. They lost their first three games by a total of just nine points, which has helped them go 4-0 ATS through those four games.
The offense is still a work in progress, but the defense has made a nice jump, which was expected under Skiles. They have a 96.2 defensive efficiency through four games, nine points per 100 possessions better than their mark last season.
The Rockets offense has been far from its best in the early going, and the defensive combination of Victor Oladipo and Elfrid Payton could harry the Houston backcourt into another poor performance.
Orlando is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games against Houston.
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Betting on the Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets arrested their own three-game slide with a big 110-105 win at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Backcourt mates James Harden and Ty Lawson finally ended their respective early-season slumps by combining for 51 points, 10 rebounds, 14 assists and seven steals in the win.
Dwight Howard, who has already missed two of the team’s first four games, also came up big with 16 points, eight rebounds and four blocks.
Howard’s presence in the middle is still vital for Houston. Denver’s Kenneth Faried (18 points, nine rebounds) and Miami’s Hassan Whiteside (25 points, 15 rebounds) had huge games with him out of the lineup.
The day’s rest after the OKC game will be good for Howard, whose excellent post defense will be key in keeping the Magic’s Vucevic from getting too many easy points inside.
Meanwhile, the return to form of both Harden and Lawson should lift a Rockets offense that is way down in 29th in offensive efficiency through the first four games. The Rockets consistently play a very fast pace, which the offensively-challenged Magic could struggle to keep up with.
Writer’s Prediction
The Rockets (-8.5) have too much offense and pull away from the Magic, 104-94.
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