The 2023-24 NBA season is really starting to heat up, but that’s not the case for every team in the league. Some games won’t impact that NBA Playoff race for both teams, and that’s the case when the Orlando Magic visit the Toronto Raptors.
Orlando is currently in the mix to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference as they have gone 38-28 through the first 66 games. The Magic have gone 3-2 in their last five games, but playing on the road has been an issue all season long.
Toronto comes into the game looking to snap a five-game losing streak, and they are not going to be a playoff team this season. The Raptors waved the white flag earlier this season as they traded away some top talent.
As expected, the Orlando Magic are 6.5-point betting favorites in this matchup, despite having struggled on the road this season.
Young Players Leading Magic
The Orlando Magic have been building up the roster for the last seasons, and it looks like the young players are really ready to take off. Paolo Banchero is scoring 22.8 points per game to lead this team, and he is someone that can take over a game when needed.
Shooting continues to be a bit of an issue for Orlando as they are barely making over 10 three-point shots per game. The Magic are great at getting to the basket, and that places a ton of pressure on their opponents.
This team has not always been great on the defensive end of the floor, but that is something that they have been getting better at. If the Magic play a complete game on Friday night then they will be extremely hard to beat.
Defense an Issue For Raptors
The Toronto Raptors have actually been a good offensive team this season, but they just continue to struggle to slow down opponents. Toronto is scoring 114 points per game, but at some point they are going to need to get better on defense.
Scottie Barnes is now leading the Raptors with 19.9 points per game, and he is someone that will have to force the issue on offense. Toronto can be a tough team to stop when they are making shots, but that’s not always something that they do well.
Magic Roll Over Raptors
Playing a game in Toronto is never easy for opponents, but the Orlando Magic have clearly been a better overall team this season. The Magic are going to have to shoot the ball well in this game, but they are also going to get some easy buckets.
Things seem to be getting worse for the Toronto Raptors, and they just aren’t a team with a ton of offensive talent. The Raptors just won’t be able to score enough points to keep pace in this game, and that is how this matchup will get away from them.
Bet the Orlando Magic -6.5 as they are going to have very little trouble in getting past the Toronto Raptors in this Eastern Conference showdown on Friday night.
