[7:40 PM] Magic @ Heat

Who will WIN this matchup?

Orlando Magic (12-17)

@ Miami Heat (9-19)

 

• The Orlando Magic came into this season with very high expectations and have yet to show on a consistent basis that they are a playoff caliber team through 29 games. Orlando followed a promising 4-1 road trip with five losses in the last seven games and looks to begin turning things back in a positive direction Tuesday when it visits the similarly disappointing Miami Heat. The Magic lost by more than 20 points for the third time in 12 days on Sunday when the Toronto Raptors rolled to a 119-79 victory in Orlando.

• The Heat have been hampered by injuries all season, managing to win just two of their last nine games while struggling to get consistent contributions outside of guard Goran Dragic and center Hassan Whiteside.

• Orlando, which led by seven after one quarter Sunday, shot 41 percent from the field while missing 18 of its 21 attempts from 3-point range, turning the ball over 20 times and managing 13 assists on 34 field goals. Leading scorer Evan Fournier (17.4) had a team-high 15 points against the Raptors and is averaging 21.4 on 52.6 percent shooting over the last five contests. Key offseason acquisition Serge Ibaka put together games of 22 and 29 points against Denver and Atlanta, but made 2-for-8 from 3-point range and averaged 12 in three games since.

• Miami won the first two of its current six-game homestand before losing a close game to the Los Angeles Clippers and dropping a 105-95 decision against Boston on Sunday after falling behind 18 through one quarter. Dragic (19.1 points per game) scored at least 30 in two of the last four games and Whiteside (17.6 points, 14.8 rebounds overall) owns four consecutive double-doubles.

• The Heat have won six of the last seven meetings, including a 108-96 triumph in Orlando on opening night.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Orlando Magic

Confidence: 4/10

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