The Knicks keep alternating between taking steps forward and backward.
They narrowly defeated the lowly Hornets last Friday after Jalen Brunson was forced to carry a heavy load for the offense.
They followed that up with a dominant win over the depleted Pelicans, who were missing Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, among others, from their lineup.
All things considered, the Knicks have been skating by. There’s been plenty of uneven performances to give you pause about whether they are a legitimate title contender.
When they face the Magic on Tuesday, they will have a tough matchup against an Orlando squad ranked third in defensive rating, behind only the Thunder and Rockets
The Knicks figure to have a tough time scoring against Orlando, which is still without star Paolo Banchero.
Knicks vs. Magic odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knicks | -5.5 (-110) | -230 | Over 219.5 (-110) |
| Magic | +5.5 (-110) | +190 | Under 219.5 (-110) |
Knicks vs. Magic prediction
The Knicks counter Orlando’s defensive prowess with the league’s No. 1 offense.
Tuesday’s matchup should be highly competitive is it features a Knick team that is No. 6 overall in net rating against the No. 8 Magic.
One of the reasons why the Knicks are solid favorites Tuesday is that the Magic are expected to run into some regression.
Orlando is in the bottom of the league in turnover ratio (15.2 percent, 18th) and 24th in effective field goal percentage (52.2 percent).
The Magic make a lot of difficult shots, as Franz Wagner has led the way without Banchero in the lineup.
Wagner averaged 25.4 points per game, 5.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists in November, with the NBA’s 10th-highest usage ratio in the NBA during that time period.
Betting on the NBA?
If his shots stop falling, we’re looking at a tough spot for the Magic offense.
And we already know that the Magic defense should make things challenging for the Knicks throughout thanks to their strong backcourt play of Jalen Suggs and Anthony Black.
PICK: Under 219.5 (-110, ESPN BET)
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