New York Knicks Vs. Orlando Magic: Predictions, Starting Lineups (12/29/23)
After dropping five of their past seven games, the Orlando Magic will look to get back on track with a home win over the Knicks. Our New York Knicks vs. Orlando Magic predictions, betting picks, and matchup preview are featured below!
New York Knicks Vs. Orlando Magic Prediction
Expectations for the Orlando Magic entering this year were simply to build off of their 12-win improvement from the 2021-22 season to the 2022-23 season. Paolo Banchero’s arrival in Orlando was the major catalyst for the massive increase in wins; however, the team’s continued success has come sooner than expected, no matter how talented Banchero is as a player.
The Magic are currently 18-12, which is on pace for a 49-win season. There is a lot of the 2023-24 campaign left to be played, but their performance, particularly at home (11-4), has been promising. Further, Orlando is again seeking to destroy the Over on its win total, which was as low as 35.5 wins before the start of the season.
Orlando has the fifth-lowest (best) defensive rating in the NBA and ranks first in defensive rebounding percentage; however, the Magic have a substantial amount of weaknesses that have surprisingly not hurt them as consistently as one might think.
For one, the Magic are the third-worst three-point shooting (33.7%) team in the league, ranking ahead of only Memphis (10-20) and Detroit (2-29.) That is not good company to be in.
Orlando only rosters three players that shoot 37% or better from behind the arc, including Joe Ingles, Jalen Suggs, and Caleb Houston. Unfortunately, Houston and Ingles only combine to play 30 minutes per game, so they are not on the floor nearly enough to concern opponents. Ingles is already ruled out for this matchup, too, further complicating matters.
Defensively, the Magic rank outside the top 12 in opponent effective field goal percentage and opponent three-point percentage. Orlando’s “advantage” on the defensive end is that it does a fantastic job not allowing offensive rebounds or second-chance points to opponents.
As far as matchups go, this is on the tougher side for Orlando. The Knicks are amongst the best offensive-rebounding teams in the nation, protect the paint adequately, and have shot well from deep (10th in 3P%) so far this season.
In Orlando’s past seven games, it has displayed a concerning trend; it has the fourth-worst net rating (only ahead of San Antonio, Detroit, and Charlotte) while shooting just 31.8% from deep and giving up 41.1% from behind the arc to opponents.
The Magic might turn the ship back around eventually, but the Knicks have an advantage here. They can clog the lane and force Orlando to hit threes to beat them. That’s not a bad position to be in.
New York Knicks Vs. Orlando Magic Prediction: Knicks +1.5 (-110)
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New York Knicks Vs. Orlando Magic Best Odds
The Orlando Magic are 1.5-point home favorites against the Knicks on Friday night. Orlando has Moneyline odds of -120, while New York is at even odds (+100) to win outright versus the Magic. The point total hangs around 227 points, with -112 odds for the Over and -108 odds for the Under.
New York Knicks Starting Lineup
PG: Jalen Brunson
SG: Donte DiVincenzo
SF: R.J. Barrett
PF: Julius Randle
C: Isaiah Hartenstein
Orlando Magic Starting Lineup
PG: Anthony Black
SG: Jalen Suggs
SF: Franz Wagner
PF: Paolo Banchero
C: Wendell Carter Jr.
New York Knicks Vs. Orlando Magic Injuries
Two of New York’s frontcourt players, Jericho Sims and Mitchell Robinson, will miss this game due to ankle injuries; however, Sims is projected to return in a few weeks, while Robinson is out for the remainder of the 2023-24 season. Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic will be without Joe Ingles (ankle) and Markelle Fultz (knee), while Gary Harris (calf) and Jonathan Isaac (hamstring) are listed as day-to-day, indicating that they could be game-time decisions.
