Washington finds themselves heavy favorites on Friday night in the 1/12 NBA free pick as oddsmakers have set the line at WAS -10. That’s a whole lot of points to give up in an NBA game but it’s an intriguing spot for Washington. The Wizards need a victory after dropping their last two. Meanwhile the road weary Magic are in the midst of a six game losing skid. Does this free pick have blowout written all over it?
Magic Struggling On Defense – and Offense
There’s plenty of talented scorers on the Magic roster including Evan Fournier and Jonathan Simmons – but that hasn’t translated to wins. This is mostly due in part to the Orlando defense struggling so much. The Magic are 25th or worse in every major defensive category including points against, opponents field goal and three point shooting, and rebounds per game. Orlando has given up 110+ points in seven of their last 10 outings en route to a 1-9 record over that span. In the 1/12 NBA free pick the Magic will be up against a Washington offense that 12th in the NBA in points per game, 11th in field goal shooting, and 10th in three point percentage.
Another reason for Orlando’s struggles is because those talented scorers simply aren’t scoring. Orlando has only broken 103 points twice in their last 10 games. The Wizards could keep that streak going as they boast a top 10 defense in points / game and opponents field goal percentage while fielding the league’s top three point defense (33.4% shooting against).
Wizards Need To Keep Their Foot on the Gas
It could be easy for Washington to get complacent and thus giving up a backdoor cover on the -10 point spread – but the Wizards need a win. Washington has dropped two in a row after a four game winning streak and that highly ranked defense has struggled lately allowing 100+ points in a dozen straight games.
Both teams are playing on just a night’s rest, but the Wizards should be fresher overall. Washington has played five of their last six contests at home while the Magic will be playing in their third straight road game – within the span of four nights. The Wizards are a solid 13-8 at the Capital One Arena on the season while the Magic are just 5-18 away from Orlando this year. Therefore the biggest thing in play for the 1/12 NBA free pick is that Washington absolutely needs a win, while Orlando is a bit weary.
1/12 NBA Free Pick Betting
The public is split with about 52% liking Orlando plus the points. The Wizards already has a big win over the Magic on 12/23; a 130 to 113 home victory as -12 favorites. John Wall had just 10 points in that game while Bradley Beal chipped in 17, showing that Washington can win by even more if their stars have big nights. The Magic are 2-6 ATS in the last 8 meetings and 3-9-1 ATS the last 13 in Washington. Look for those trends to continue tonight.
Pick: Washington Wizards -10
