Orlando’s homestand ends with Dallas visiting the Amway Center tonight. This will be the final game between the two this season. The last meeting saw Moritz Wagner and Luka Doncic exchange some words on court. Tonight will be the second night of a back-to-back for the Dallas Mavericks.
Here is our guide to the teams so far this season, the history and a something of what to expect in the game tonight.
Last Games And Season Records.
The Orlando Magic
Friday 28th January – Detroit Pistons 103 – 119 Orlando Magic
Magic Top Performances – Franz Wagner was unplayable, leading with 24 points. In his 50 NBA games he has scored double figures in 42, hitting 20-points or more on 12 occasions. Mo Bamba earned his 10th double-double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Jalen Suggs was a defensive beast, registering 6 points, 1 rebound , 4 assists, 2 steals and a chase back block. Cole Anthony influenced the team again, recording 12 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds and a steal. Wendell Carter Jr scored 9 points and took 11 rebounds. His screen setting helped the team’s offence be more effective. Chuma Okeke from the bench had 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting, hitting 3-of-4 from deep. Defensively he shone and made 3 blocks. Terrence Ross got lit for 21 points. Gary Harris finished with 10 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds and a steal off the bench.
Orlando’s record is now 10 wins and 40 losses, leaving the Magic still adrift at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. They also hold the worst record in the NBA. Of the last 10 games played the Magic have won 3. The home record stands at 4 wins of 22 games played, whilst on the road it is 6 wins in 28 played. In points per game the Magic improved in both categories, scoring 102.4 whilst conceding 110.4. The over all rating for the Magic remains 28th on offence but improved to 21st defensively.
The Dallas Mavericks.
Saturday 29th January – Indiana Pacers 105 – 132 Dallas Mavericks
Dallas tore the Pacers apart, bouncing back with a second consecutive win. Head Coach Jason Kidd had recently seen his team get equally destroyed by the Golden State Warriors. Against the Pacers Luka Doncic led the team with a double-double of 30 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists. Maxi Kleber also posted a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Jalen Brunson contributed 13 points and 8 assists. Reggie Bullock had a big game from the bench with 23 points, assisted by Dwight Powell and Josh Green with 10 and 12 points respectively.
Dallas have a record of 29 wins and 21 losses, which sees the Mavericks at the 5th seed in the Western Conference. Of the last 10 games played Dallas have won 7. The road record stands at 13 wins of 25 games played. In points per game the Mavericks score 106.1 whilst conceding 103.3, rating 19th on offence and 5th defensively.
Head-To-Head – The Dallas Mavericks
Of the 66 regular season games played Dallas have a lead of 39-27 over Orlando.
In the first meeting this season Dallas took the win by a scoreline of 92-108, in what was a dull game.
Dallas are on a 5 game winning streak over Orlando. Over each of the last two seasons Dallas have swept Orlando 2-0. The four seasons previously had all been split 1-1, with the home team winning each occasion.
Be thankful this is a home game as the last time Orlando won in Dallas was on January 8th 2011, a 10 game road losing streak!
The teams have never met in the playoffs.
Our Opponents – The Dallas Mavericks
Head coach Jason Kidd is assisted by Orlando Magic Hall of Famer Darrell Armstrong.
At this point they do not have too much disruption to their squad. Looking at ESPN the Mavericks will be without both Tim Hardaway Jr and Sterling Brown to long term injury. There will also be a change to the starting line-up from last night as Kristaps Porzingis has been ruled out for tonight. Reggie Bullock is the man likely to step into the starting unit.
Last Starting Line-up: Luka Doncic (PG), Jalen Brunson (SG), Dorian Finney-Smith (SF), Maxi Kleber (PF), Kristaps Porzingis (C)
Bench Unit: Dwight Powell, Reggie Bullock, Marquese Chriss, Trey Burke, Frank Ntilikina, Josh Green, Theo Pinson, Boban Marjanovic (DNP), Moses Brown (DNP)
The Orlando Magic Injury Report
There was excitement amongst Magic fans after Markelle Fultz was shown on an app earlier today as a game time decision. At this moment and having checked the 4:30pm Magic injury report he is listed as out.
ESPN is continues to show 5 absences for the Magic as Orlando’s homestand ends with Dallas visiting the Amway Center.
RJ Hampton is out for 4-6 weeks with a left knee injury.
Markelle Fultz is again shown as out indefinitely with no public timeline for his return.
E’Twaun Moore remains out with a sprained left knee.
Michael Carter-Williams is out after surgery to remove a bone fragment and repair his left ankle ligament.
Jonathan Isaac continues to be out as he rehabilitates from the surgically repaired left knee. There remains no public timeline for his return to the court.
The Magic Lineup As Orlando’s Homestand Ends With Dallas
As Coach Jamahl Mosely faces his old team expect little to change from last time out (barring any late withdrawals).
Last Magic Starting Lineup – Cole Anthony (PG), Jalen Suggs (SG), Franz Wagner (SF), Wendell Carter Jr (PF), Mo Bamba (C)
Magic Bench Unit – Gary Harris, Terrence Ross, Chuma Okeke, Moe Wagner, Admiral Schofield, Ignas Brazdeikis, Robin Lopez (DNP)
Final Thoughts As Orlando’s Homestand Ends With Dallas
The tip time from Orlando is shown on the Orlando Magic website as being midnight here in the UK (7pm Eastern for our friends in Orlando). To watch the game live or on demand in the UK today you will need an active NBA League Pass 2021/22 subscription.
Dallas rely heavily on the playmaking and scoring skills of Luka Doncic. He is exceptionally capable of doing damage, making opportunities for team-mates. Maxi Kleber has a history of hurting the Magic. They shoot the long ball heavily, but not accurately. The opposite is true of the two-pointer. They do not commit a lot of turnovers but are not known as a good rebounding team.
In the last meeting fouls and turnovers were an issue for the Magic. The Mavericks took 38 free throws, amassing 32 points. The 15 turnovers committed by Orlando gave Dallas a further 21 points. Against a team not renowned for rebounding the Magic were outplayed on the glass at both ends, seeing Dallas grab 12 offensive rebounds.
Orlando must again play as a team, just as they did against Detroit on Friday night. The Magic defence played a solid game, producing a stifling performance. During January the Orlando defence ranks in the NBA’s top 10. As with the defence the offence was a collective body of work. Unselfish ball movement, strong screens being set and intelligent positioning saw Orlando shoot a 49.4 field goal percentage and 48% with the three ball. They also accumulated 28 assists.
Orlando are healthier than when we last played. The defence is more focused. Suggs has returned. Whilst Cole is struggling to be efficient offensively, he is finding some scoring and dropping an improved amount of assists.
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