Orlando Magic vs Phoenix Suns Prediction: Suns to show some good action

Orlando has lost only two home games during the regular time in the current championship. Now the Magic will try to put up a good fight against Phoenix, one of the Western Conference leaders. Will the home team be able to accomplish this task?

The Magic is still one of the outsiders: 13th place is a real stroke of luck, given that Charlotte is trailing after missing two key players. Orlando has even more problems as five players are sidelined: Gary Harris, Markell Fultz, Jonathan Isaac, Moritz Wagner, and Cole Anthony. Magic offensive leader Paolo Banchero, who averages 23.5 points, missed last game and may not play against Phoenix. Jalen Suggs is very effective offensively only in certain games, so we can rely on Franz Wagner to keep him out of the picture. The team's biggest breakthrough in the regular season has been Bol Bol, who previously wasn't even in Denver's rotation, but now plays 20-30 minutes per game.

In their last 5 games, Jamahl Mosley's men have won two The day before Orlando defeated Dallas at home, 94-87. Three big men were named to the starting five, including Chuma Okeke, who was very useful on defense. As you can see from the final score, the defense was a key factor in their success, although we can't ignore the effectiveness of the main roster on offense. Franz Wagner was the most productive player for the Magic with 22 points.

Chris Paul has largely shaped the Suns' current style of play. Phoenix is among the NBA leaders in average assists, and Paul is second only to Tyrese Haliburton and James Harden. Yes, Chris isn't the same guy he was even a year ago, but his absence due to injury is a big loss for Phoenix, which recently lost Cameron Johnson and benched Jae Crowder. Paul's participation in the game against Orlando is questionable.

The Suns' good defense, on the other hand, is more of a team effort. Deandre Ayton has become increasingly reliable under the basket and his replacement, Jock Landale, has been a real godsend for the club. The Australian big man is very accurate defensively and can also shoot from beyond the arc, so there's a reason he's in the rotation.

The offense came to the forefront in the last regular season game against Minnesota. Monty Williams' men rarely gave their opponents easy shots, but they still allowed 110+ points in the end. Still, in Chris Paul's absence, the Suns outscored the Wolves, 129-117. Mikal Bridges and Devin Booker each scored more than 30 points, with Booker also contributing 10 assists. Cameron Payne resembled himself from the season before last with 23+8, Landry Shamet was also very effective offensively. The win over the Timberwolves was the Suns' 7th in their last 9 games and they are now 3rd in the West.

The Suns, even in the absence of Chris Paul, remain one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, and the team looked decent against Minnesota. Holding off Orlando will be that much easier, but the offense could also be in trouble if Paul is not back on the floor. Mikal Bridges can't consistently score 30 points, especially since the Magic look very decent defensively. Jalen Suggs will likely be guarded by Devin Booker, and the Suns' leader will have to work hard to lead his team to victory once again. Our prediction is the following:

• TU (214.5) for 2.20;
• H2 (-6.5) for 1.71;
• HT/FT W2/W2 for 1.62.

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