I went 1-1 in the NBA last night, and despite having a ton of games on the schedule, I only played those two games. It has been a very good season so far, betting-wise, and I want to keep that going as long as possible. There are only two games on the schedule tonight, before we once again get a packed slate tomorrow. I’ve got one game picked out, and I think we have a good edge on the game between the Magic and the Suns.
The Orlando Magic changed their coach, but it seems like their problems have not. The team is inconsistent on offense, and injuries are keeping them from finding any realistic level of consistency. Paolo Banchero will be out for roughly a month of the season. Jalen Suggs is also out. If you are missing two of your top six players, it will be difficult no matter what team you are. The Magic are 2-5 for the season, with both wins coming on the road. They were one of only a few teams that didn’t play last night, so they do have a rest advantage.
That doesn’t mean they will win, and I actually think this could be a slow start for them. The Magic are already one of the lowest first-quarter scoring teams. It really doesn’t get much better in the first half overall. They are averaging 54.4 points per game in the first half. Desmond Bane and Franz Wagner are the two main scorers for the squad, but the team really doesn’t have a great facilitating guard. Anthony Black is a good scorer, but he isn’t really a point guard, and Jase Richardson isn’t really a starter. I’d prefer Jevon Carter in there to help make the offense work a bit more.
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The Phoenix Suns didn’t really change much in the offseason. They have stumbled out of the gate, and there really isn’t much help coming from the injured list. They have Robert Williams, who will make a bit of a difference, but he isn’t going to make the offense that much better. He should help with the defense, however. Overall, the team is just 1-5 for the season, and they lost once again last night. That game was at home, and now tonight’s game will be their third game in four nights.
They are still led by Devin Booker, who has to be either the most loyal guy in the world or maybe the most frustrated. Booker has been elite basically since he walked into the league, and they’ve occasionally had good teams and players. However, we always hear about how Steph Curry had years wasted by the Warriors; the same is happening with Booker and the Suns. Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and Miles Bridges aren’t going to combine to be a championship squad, but they can at least be competitive enough to get them into the postseason.
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The Suns are a bit better in the first half of games in terms of scoring, but not by much. It is essentially the same thing in the 1st quarter. A lot of this has to do with the rotations. Neither of these teams plays all that fast, and I think the first half will have the Suns conserving energy. I also believe the Magic will be a bit rusty, having their first game on the road and not playing for a couple of days. I’ll back under 114.5 in the first half. I do think the Suns will win this game, but I’m not backing either side. I have them very close in my power rankings.
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