Orlando Magic Vs. Golden State Warriors: Predictions, Starting Lineups (1/2/24)
After dropping three consecutive games, two of which were on their home floor, the Golden State Warriors hope to snap their losing streak at Chase Center on Tuesday night against the Orlando Magic. Below, we have detailed our Orlando Magic vs. Golden State Warriors predictions and best bets, including an in-depth game analysis!
Orlando Magic Vs. Golden State Warriors Prediction
What a disaster this season has been for the Golden State Warriors so far; they are in 11th place in the Western Conference with a 15-17 record, have had inconsistent play from Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson, and have missed Draymond Green for the majority of the year due to multiple suspensions. Thompson has only had one season in his career where he shot worse than 40% from behind the arc (2021-22), and he only played in 32 regular season games; however, he is now on pace to shoot his lowest FG% and 3P% in the 2023-24 campaign.
Wiggins’ sporadic play is also confusing; he has averaged fewer than 13 points per game on a 42/30/71 shooting split, which is on pace for far and away his worst season ever. At 28 years old, Wiggins should be entering his prime NBA years, so his performance has been head-scratching. There have even been reports that the team is frustrated with the quality of his cardio and overall physical shape.
Golden State has also lost back-to-back home games, showing that it is no longer the dominant home force that it had been in prior seasons. In short, the Dubs are falling off the face of the Earth just two seasons after winning an NBA Championship.
So, why would we consider backing Golden State in this spot?
The Dubs don’t have to worry about defending the perimeter. Orlando is the worst three-point shooting team in the league, which allows Golden State to pack the paint. The Warriors have done a solid job defending the three-point line this season (seventh in opponent 3P%), but they won’t have to worry about closing out nearly as hard, as the defensive glass, especially against one of the best rebounding teams in the NBA, will be a bigger focus.
Golden State might not be as elite of a three-point shooting team as it has been in past seasons, but Steph Curry is still shooting 41% from deep. Steph’s three-point presence should force defenders to go over screens on the perimeter, but between TJD’s rolling ability, Klay’s shooting ability (if he can snap out of this slump), and Kuminga’s slashing ability, there should be enough half-court movement to generate consistent offense. The Dubs could run away with this one if everyone shows up.
Orlando Magic Vs. Golden State Warriors Prediction: Warriors -3
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Orlando Magic Vs. Golden State Warriors Best Odds
Golden State is just a three-point home favorite on Tuesday night when it hosts the Orlando Magic for a non-conference bout. The Warriors have -155 Moneyline odds to win outright at home and snap their three-game skid, resulting in a tumble to 11th place in the Western Conference.
Conversely, the Magic are +130 to steal a road win and create a gap between them and the Heat and Pacers in the Eastern Conference standings. The Over/Under stands at 229.5 points, with both sides boasting odds of -110.
Orlando Magic Starting Lineup
PG: Anthony Black
SG: Jalen Suggs
SF: Franz Wagner
PF: Paolo Banchero
C: Wendell Carter Jr.
Golden State Warriors Starting Lineup
PG: Steph Curry
SG: Klay Thompson
SF: Andrew Wiggins
PF: Jonathan Kuminga
C: Trayce Jackson-Davis
Orlando Magic Vs. Golden State Warriors Injuries
Orlando will miss two important rotation pieces on Tuesday night, as Jonathan Isaac (hamstring) and Joe Ingles (ankle) have been ruled out already. Meanwhile, Markelle Fultz, who has missed most of the 2023-24 campaign thus far, has a questionable designation, hopefully indicating a return to the floor shortly.
On the other hand, Golden State has no injuries to report ahead of its game against Orlando; however, it will still be without All-Star forward Draymond Green for the foreseeable future due to an indefinite suspension after he punched Jusuf Nurkic in the middle of a game.
