San Antonio Spurs

San Antonio Spurs (24-33) are not shining this season and have completely failed to meet the expectations placed on the team. The past few weeks are a perfect indication of this, as they have lost 7 of their last 9 games. Of course, 7 of the last 9 games were on the road, but such a win percentage is too low in any case. This season, the Spurs team is not being saved by their home court either – their win-loss ratio is almost equal – 14 wins and 13 losses, while on the road they have won only 10 out of 30 games. The competition in the Western Conference is huge, and there are still 6 real candidates fighting for the 8th spot and a place in the playoffs, separated by just a few wins. Considering their current form, it would be hard to expect the Spurs to make the playoffs, but knowing how good and accomplished this organization is, it cannot be written off prematurely.

The team's youngsters are taking on increasingly important roles: D. White averages 10 points and 3 assists in 23 minutes, D. Murray, returning from injury, adds 10 points and 6 rebounds, and rookie L. Walker IV adds 6 points and 2 rebounds in 14 minutes of play. The main players in the team continue to be former Raptors leader D. Derozan, who averages 23 points, and L. Aldridge, who adds 19 points and 8 rebounds.

Orlando Magic

Orlando Magic (27-32) lost their first game after the All-Star weekend to the Dallas Mavericks, but this was followed by a 3-game winning streak. In total, the Magic team has won 5 of their last 6 games, and in the match against the Spurs, they will be aiming for their 4th consecutive win. Interestingly, after the break, the Orlando team started to show faster and more efficient offense. In the last 3 games, the Magic team scored 113, 130, and 136 points, which is well above their season average. It is quite likely that having almost a week's break, the team had more training and time to gel, which, at least for now, seems to be beneficial.

The team's leaders remain Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon, who recorded his first career triple-double in the last game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, scoring 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists. Another very important figure in the Magic team is T. Ross, whose rise from the bench significantly changes the course of the game. Ross is a player who immediately takes the initiative, and when he starts hitting his shots, he can be very difficult to stop. Overall, although the Magic team is not the most stable team in the league, they have enough weapons to surprise in individual games and continue to stay in the fight for a playoff spot.

Will miss this game

Orlando Magic: A. Aminu and J. Isaac;

San Antonio Spurs: L. Aldridge

Prediction

The Orlando Magic team started showing great offense after the All-Star weekend break and won 3 games in a row. Meanwhile, the Spurs not only continue to struggle to find the key to victories but will also be without one of their main players, L. Aldridge, in this game. It's hard to imagine who will stop N. Vucevic, and in the already weak San Antonio Spurs front line, it's unlikely anyone will stand out. All the cards in this game are in the Magic's hands, and the odds do not reflect the current form and real situation of the teams at all.