Magic & Thunder Have Combined to Go Under Total in 11 of 12 Games So Far; Total Set at 204 For Tuesday in OKC
By Quinn Allen in NBA Basketball
Updated: April 9, 2020 at 3:43 pm EDTPublished:
- Both teams are 2-4 heading into Tuesday night’s contest in OKC
- Orlando has scored an NBA-low 93.5 points per game
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is off to a hot start for the Thunder averaging 21.8 PPG & 7.2 RPG
The Oklahoma City Thunder and Orlando Magic will face off against one another on Tuesday night. It should be a throwback battle as Orlando is 0-5-1 against the over this season, while the Thunder are 1-5.
Both of these teams sit in the bottom five of the NBA in offensive rating but are in the top five in the league in defensive rating.
The latest Orlando Magic vs Oklahoma City Thunder odds make the Thunder favorites at -165.
Orlando Magic vs Oklahoma City Thunder Odds
| Team | Spread | MoneyLine | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando Magic | +2.5 (-110) | +125 | Ov 204 (-104) |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | -2.5 (-110) | -145 | Un 204 (-116) |
Odds taken Nov. 5th
Gallinari and SGA Thundering Up
The Thunder have a dramatically different feel this year with no Russell Westbrook, but received promising youngster Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and veteran point guard Chris Paul, as well as Danilo Gallinari in the offseason to fill the void left by Westbrook.
Sitting just 24th in the NBA with just 104.3 points per game, Gilgeous-Alexander and Gallinari have been very good from a scoring standpoint, leading the team offensively with 21.8 and 18 PPG respectively, but Schroeder and Paul are averaging around just 15 points per night. Both will need to score at a higher rate if this team wants to compete for a playoff spot this season because they don’t have a very experienced second unit.
With Steven Adams a game-time decision due to a knee injury, Nerlens Noel could start in his place at center, although he’s also been having a slight ankle issue. OKC definitely looks to be slightly banged up for this matchup.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6EjIqm-QqE
Can Fultz Figure it Out?
Former first overall pick Markelle Fultz will get the start tonight and will look to revive the Magic offense, who have really lacked any serious firepower this season so far.
Fultz is averaging 9.7 points in 23.2 minutes per night and looks to be slowly settling in. Orlando is the only team in the NBA to not score 100 points in a game this season, averaging 93.5 per night, which is last in the NBA. They’re also in the bottom five of the league in field goal percentage and three-point percentage.
Defensively they have been pretty consistent, but you can’t win games if you don’t score. It’s been their biggest issue this year and it won’t come easy against an OKC team who play gritty, hard-nosed defense. With Fultz getting just his second start of the season, the hope is that the youngster can control the pace of the Magic offense and create some havoc as they look for their third win of this young NBA season.
Despite Injuries, OKC is Best Bet
Even though Steven Adams could be out for this contest and Nerlens Noel is possibly doubtful as well, the Thunder have more consistent offensive weapons than the Magic. It should be a close game because they both pride themselves in playing good defense, but the Thunder have a very good chance of coming out on top at home against Orlando.
Pick: OKC Thunder (-145), Under 204 (-116)
Sports Writer
Quinn Allen is a sports journalist, with a background and education in broadcast journalism (BCIT '17). He is a full-time associate editor at ClutchPoints by day, where he writes about soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and more. At night, Quinn is a frequent contributor at SBD.
