Knicks @ Magic

Who will WIN this matchup?

New York Knicks (14-15)

@ Orlando Magic (10-18)

Current odds:

New York Knicks: (-160)

Orlando Magic: (+140)

• The line for this game is Knicks by 3.5 points.

• RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley were teenagers the last time the New York Knicks were at the .500 mark at least 30 games into a season. On Wednesday night, the promising youngsters will try to help the Knicks take their next step in a surprisingly swift march to respectability when New York visits the Orlando Magic.

• The Knicks moved within a game of .500 by earning their third straight win Monday night, when Julius Randle scored 44 points in a 123-112 victory over the visiting Atlanta Hawks. The Magic ended a four-game trip Sunday with a 109-90 loss to the Phoenix Suns. Barrett (21 points) and Quickley (16 points) were the second- and third-leading scorers Monday as New York improved to 14-15 and moved into sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

• The Knicks, who haven’t reached the playoffs since 2013, can get to .500 this late in the schedule for the first time since Dec. 30, 2017, when they were 18-18 following a 105-103 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

• The Knicks went just 11-35 the remainder of the season before going 17-65 in 2018-19 and 21-45 during the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 campaign, when they didn’t get to 15 wins until the 51st game. But first-year Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau’s emphasis on defense and discipline has paid immediate dividends for New York, which has allowed an NBA-low 103.6 points per game this season.

• Enjoyment has been in short supply lately for Orlando, which opened the season 6-2 but is just 4-16 since Markelle Fultz suffered a season-ending knee injury Jan. 6.

• The injuries have continued to pile up for Orlando, which had just eight players available Sunday. James Ennis was sidelined with a groin injury suffered last Friday while Al-Farouq Aminu (hamstring) and Cole Anthony (shoulder) also were out. Frank Mason, who replaced Anthony as the starting point guard, hurt his groin Thursday and was released a day later. On Sunday, the Magic started 30-year-old Terrence Ross at point guard — his first start since Nov. 25, 2017.

• The Magic trailed wire-to-wire Sunday but managed to cut a 26-point fourth-quarter deficit to 14. Orlando took some solace in its defensive performance on a road trip in which it went 1-3 while allowing 112 points or less in every game against the Suns, Portland Trail Blazers and Golden State Warriors — all of whom occupied a playoff spot entering play Tuesday — and the Sacramento Kings.