Orlando Magic vs New York Knicks Prediction

Orlando Magic vs New York Knicks Prediction

Tom Thibodeau's New York Knicks (14-15) can reach.500 if they can win away in Orlando overnight, against a depleted Magic side (10-18) who have lost eight from their last ten matches.

The Knicks' 123-112 win over Atlanta to start the week marked a third successive victory, but will they improve upon a season-best three consecutive wins here in this cross-conference clash?

What will players like All-Star centre Nikola Vucevic and dependable SG Terrence Ross produce in response? Read my basketball preview, for the best betting odds ahead of this compelling H2H matchup.

Orlando Magic vs New York Knicks Preview

PF Julius Randle had a season-high 44 points, made a career-best seven threes and led the New York Knicks to a third successive win as they prevailed 123-112 against an unpredictable Atlanta Hawks team in the early hours on Tuesday. 

He added nine rebounds and five assists in another excellent display which reinforces the belief within their franchise he's deserving of a first-time All-Star berth in Atlanta next month.

Second-year SG RJ Barrett, who added 21 points, six rebounds and three assists in an efficient showing, declared him one post-game. Randle though, revealed his motivations for growth lay deeper than potentially earning any external recognition this term:

"A lot of people may have wrote me off, had their doubts or whatever it may be, and that was just motivation or fuel.

For me, it was just about coming back a better player and better teammate than I was last year."

Through 29 games, he leads them in points (23.1), rebounds (11) and assists (5.6) per game this term, while shooting the three-ball (40.6%) and free-throws (80.2%) at the most efficient clip of his seven-year career. 

C Mitchell Robinson has undergone successful surgery to repair a hand fracture, with the Knicks hoping he returns after 4-6 weeks - set to be re-evaluated after the All-Star break (March 5-10).

Frank Ntilikina (COVID-19 protocols) was again absent against the Hawks, while rookie Immanuel Quickley and Derrick Rose were predictably impactful from the bench. It'll be interesting to see how Orlando fare in this one, as they have considerably more key injuries to deal with.

That list includes no. 15 draft pick Cole Anthony (rib fracture), PF Aaron Gordon (ankle sprain), veteran guard Evan Fournier (back spasms) and SF James Ennis III (groin strain). 

When you consider they've also got Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz recovering on the sidelines with season-ending ACL injuries, the onus is even further on the aforementioned duo - Vucevic and Ross - to lead an understaffed team by example going forward.

Vucevic (14 pts, 10 rebs) and Ross (23 pts, six rebs, five ast) were both inefficient with their shooting during a 109-90 defeat by the Phoenix Suns last time out, so I'd expect the pair to make a concerted effort to improve their respective numbers here. Will that help them prevail, though?

Orlando Magic vs New York Knicks betting tips

ESPN's BPI picks a Magic win here (52.3%), even with all their injuries. Presumably as this is the Knicks' second leg of their back-to-back schedule, unlikely they'll produce the same efficient numbers again.

They shot 50.6% FG, 50% from deep and committed just eight turnovers to secure a season series sweep against Atlanta, but Orlando - despite their inconsistency - were similarly 123-112 winners over an improving Sacramento Kings team, centred on Vucevic's 42-point showing. 

This could be tight, but I'm predicting a hard-fought Knicks victory here.