Golden State Warriors vs Orlando Magic Prediction: Warriors' Thompson is on fire but the defense is vulnerable

NBA has now entered the midseason period and this is a period where NBA squads have to navigate a tough phase. Injuries, trade, and fatigue play a big role here and the incredible season will only get more intense as the race to the Playoffs will become heated. So, how will it be when the Golden State Warriors are going to take on the Orlando Magic.

The Warriors come into this game after a surprise 119:122 home loss against the Detroit Pistons despite a 30 points performance by Klay Thompson. This win cut short a five-game winning streak and the Warriors have now played a bunch of close games without Curry. Their record isn’t impressive for a champion, having lost 19 and winning just 20. After a couple of games, the team will be on a five-road trip, which is a huge problem considering how the Warriors have lost 16 of their 19 games. The losses like the last one are going to hurt a lot for sure considering the team’s woes away from home.

The Magic come into this game after losing 115:123 against the Memphis Grizzlies despite a 30 points and 9 rebounds performance by Paolo Banchero. This was Magic’s four out of their last five games and they have an unenviable record with just 14 wins and 25 losses. Paolo Banchero is perhaps the front-runner for the Rookie of the Year Award and has averaged around 21 points, forming a strong frontline with Franz Wagner, Bol Bol, Moritz Wagner, and Wendell Carter Jr. The problem for the Magic has been the Guard positions which have been the major cause of their turbulence.

The Warriors are one of the best home teams for a long time now and they have done a great job even without Curry with Poole and Thompson being the major difference-makers. Andrew Wiggins and Stephen Curry can return soon which is surely going to be a booster. Defensively, the Warriors are in trouble even against so-so offensive squads which means that the Magic will fancy their chances. However, I see them shoring up their defense and defeating Orlando. I predict a scoreline of 122:109 in favor of Golden State.