The Orlando Magic (2-8, 2-2 Home) play host to the Houston Rockets (1-9, 0-7 Away), who will be hoping to snap their losing skid, on Monday. Houston was beaten by the Minnesota Timberwolves 129-117 at Target Center on Saturday, their sixth consecutive loss. With 21 points, Jalen Green was the top scorer in the loss.
Alperen Sengun added 17 points and five assists. The Rockets are the 15th seed in the Western Conference. Orlando dropped a close one on Saturday at Amway Center, falling to the Sacramento Kings 126-123 in overtime. Paolo Banchero had 33 points and 16 rebounds in the loss, leading the team. The Magic are 15th in the Eastern Conference.
The teams are meeting for the first time this season. Houston and Orlando split their matchups last season, each team taking one game. The Magic took the last meeting 119-111 at Amway Center on February 25. Chuma Okeke led the Magic with 26 points and nine rebounds.
Green had 23 points in the losing effort. Kevin Porter Jr. (19.7 ppg), Green (19.5), and Sengun (16.8) have led the Rockets in scoring this season. Sengun also has grabbed 9.9 rebounds per game, while Porter Jr. has dished 5.1 assists per game. Banchero (22.9 ppg) has powered the Magic’s offense. Wendell Carter Jr. is pulling down 9.4 rebounds per game, and Franz Wagner is tallying 4.3 assists.
The Rockets have found success in recent games at Amway Center, winning six of the last 10. Houston has yet to earn a win away from Toyota Center this season in seven games. In the last 10 games, Houston is 1-9 with an average margin of -9.0 (108.0-117.0). Orlando has a 2-8 record over the last 10, allowing 114.3 points per game on average while scoring only 110.0 (-4.3 margin).
ROCKETS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Jabari Smith Jr.: 11.5 | 17.7 | -6.2
Points per game:
Jabari Smith Jr.: 6.5 | 10.8 | -4.3
Rebounds per game:
Jabari Smith Jr.: 4.5 | 6.1 | -1.6
Assists per game:
Jae’Sean Tate: 4.5 | 3.3 | +1.2
MAGIC HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Chuma Okeke: 16.8 | 11.4 | +5.4
Terrence Ross: 6.0 | 12.8 | -6.8
Assists per game:
Jalen Suggs: 6.7 | 4.8 | +1.9
SportsTips’ NBA Pick:
Orlando Magic (-190)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
