Matchup: Oklahoma City Thunder vs Orlando Magic
Date: Thursday, December 19, 2024
Venue: Kia Center, Orlando, FL
Broadcast: FanDuel Sports Network
The Oklahoma City Thunder (20-5) will visit the Kia Center this Thursday to face off against the Orlando Magic (17-11).
Recently, the Thunder secured a victory against the Rockets with a score of 111-96. In the game, Oklahoma City committed 24 personal fouls while Houston had 25. The Thunder managed to sink 11 of their 46 attempts from beyond the arc. Houston had a free throw shooting percentage of 60.0%, converting 15 of 25 attempts. In terms of rebounding, the Rockets collected 49 rebounds (19 offensive and 30 defensive) and recorded 4 blocked shots, along with 17 assists and 7 steals during the game. Defensively, Oklahoma City held their opponent to a shooting percentage of 36.5%, allowing 35 of 96 shots to go in. The team registered 19 assists, forced 16 turnovers, and achieved 12 steals. On the boards, the Thunder recorded a total of 43 rebounds, with 4 being on the offensive end. They excelled from the free throw line, making 28 of their 32 attempts for an impressive 87.5% success rate. Overall, Oklahoma City shot 45.0% from the field (36 of 80) and made 11 of 30 three-point shots.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was pivotal for the Thunder, scoring 32 points on 8 of 21 shooting in 38 minutes of play. He also grabbed 8 rebounds and contributed 6 assists, finishing the game with a shooting percentage of 38.1% from the field.
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The Thunder enter this matchup with an impressive record of 20-5 this season, averaging 115.6 points per game (ranked 10th in the NBA) with a shooting percentage of 46.5% from the field. They have successfully hit 35.1% of their three-point attempts (347 out of 990) and 81.0% from the free-throw line. Collectively, Oklahoma City averages 43.7 rebounds per game and has accumulated 643 assists throughout the season, placing them 20th in the NBA in assists per game. They average 11.8 turnovers and commit about 21.1 personal fouls per game.
On defense, the Thunder force an average of 19.1 turnovers each game and draw 18.3 personal fouls from their opponents. Their defensive prowess allows them to restrict rivals to 33.1% from the three-point range while having the best points allowed per game in the league at 103.5. Oklahoma City’s opponents are shooting 42.4% from the field (904 of 2,130) and the team concedes an average of 48.0 rebounds per game. They rank 3rd in the league for the lowest assists allowed, giving up 599 assists this season.
In their last outing, the Magic faced a setback, losing 100-91 to the Knicks. Orlando managed to secure 29 defensive rebounds and 10 offensive rebounds for a total of 39. They turned over the ball 15 times, but were able to record 8 steals. The Knicks committed 16 fouls, resulting in 13 attempts from the free throw line for the Magic, of which they converted 10, yielding a free throw percentage of 76.9%. From three-point range, Orlando was successful on 9 of their 30 attempts (30.0%). By the conclusion of the game, the Magic’s shooting percentage from the field stood at 41.9% with 36 successful shots out of 86 taken. The Knicks converted 33 of 71 attempts shooting 46.5%, and finished strong beyond the arc with a 41.7% success rate (10 of 24) and 24 of 30 from the charity stripe (80.0%). Defensively, the Magic permitted the Knicks to gather 45 rebounds, with 7 of them being on the offensive glass.
Moritz Wagner played a significant role for the Magic, making 10 of 15 shots for a field goal efficiency of 66.7%, alongside 6 rebounds. Wagner excelled by scoring 32 points in just 26 minutes of play, also contributing 1 assist.
This season, Orlando holds a 17-11 win-loss record. Offensively, the Magic are shooting 45.1% from the floor, ranking them 24th in the league. They have totaled 2,998 points this year, averaging 107.1 points per game, and pulling down 42.1 rebounds per contest. The Magic also average 23.9 assists per game (25th in the league) and turn the ball over 15 times per game. They commit approximately 20.3 personal fouls per game and have a free throw success rate of 78.4%.
Defensively, Orlando is ranked 2nd in the league in points allowed per game (103.5). They create an average of 17.1 turnovers for their opponents, while allowing a field goal percentage of 46.2% (ranked 11th in the NBA). Opponents are shooting 36.7% from three-point range (327 of 892) against them, while free throw percentage stands at 75.8%. On average, the Magic concede 23.0 assists and 40.8 rebounds every game, ranking them 2nd and 1st in those categories respectively.
Free Prediction: Bet on Orlando (+6.5)
