Orlando Magic vs Los Angeles Lakers Prediction: The long-awaited win for the Lakers

The Magic and Lakers are sitting in 13th place, and for both teams the upcoming meeting is important in the context of the battle for the playoff spot. The odds on L.A. have already dropped - should we hurry up and bet on the Lakers before the odds drop even further?

Orlando Magic

Not long ago, the Magic were considered one of the underdogs of the East, and hardly anyone thought they'd be in contention for a playoff spot. Orlando has won eight of their last nine games, with Wendell Carter Jr. and Gary Harris just coming back from injuries. Chuma Okiki, Jonathan Isaac, and Jalen Suggs are still in the sack, but the team has plenty of competition even without them.

During the nine-game stretch, Paolo Banquero made 43.2 percent of his three-pointers, and Franz Wagner had a lower rate of 38 percent. Markell Fultz is very consistent, and there's a reason why he's gradually winning the competition from Cole Anthony. Cole has no intention of giving up, though, and in a recent game against San Antonio, he was just one assist away from a triple-double. As a result, Orlando won 133:131. Anthony, Bola, Bamba, Banquero, and Wagner all had good long-range shots. The Magic also had eight steals, four of them by Fultz.

Los Angeles Lakers

Austin Reaves noted in an interview that his team had suffered a significant slump on defense without Anthony Davis, and it's hard to argue with that. The star big man is essential not only under the basket as he is one of the Lakers' best defenders at the arc. Opponents of the Californians have been scoring at a higher rate, and during the five-game stretch, Los Angeles missed 38.6 percent of its long-range attempts.

The Lakers started the first half of their last game against Dallas well and even led for a long time. In the 3rd quarter, the Lakers failed to score as they allowed nine three-pointers and missed by 51 points. As a result, Los Angeles lost 115:124. Four of the Laker's starting five had less than 10 points, and LeBron James led all scorers with 13-of-23 shooting and 12-of-12 free throws. Russell Westbrook looked good in spots and helped him hold onto the lead until he faltered in the 2nd half. He scored 17 points.

Expert Betting Tips

The Lakers will have trouble making much progress on defense until Anthony Davis or at least Juan Toscano-Anderson return, so all they can do now is try to outscore their opponents. LeBron has been consistent, posting 30+ points in 7 games in a row, and now his teammates mustn't mess up. Orlando had their share of silly mistakes on offense in the game against San Antonio, allowing their opponents to run away with a fast break. The visitors have no problem switching from defense to offense so that the Lakes will be punished for any mistakes.

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