Sean Barnard details his preview and prediction for Monday’s Philadelphia 76ers vs. Orlando Magic game.
Eleven games of NBA action are tipping off across the Monday, Oct. 27th slate with the sports equinox in full swing. Kicking off the NBA action, the Philadelphia 76ers will take on the Orlando Magic with the game tipping off at 7:00 p.m. ET.
The Magic enter as 6.5-point road favorites and hold -238 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Sixers hold +195 odds of pulling off the outright victory with the game total set at 227.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for this Monday night matchup.
Sixers vs. Magic preview, prediction
The Philadelphia 76ers entered the season as one of the biggest mysteries in the NBA. One year removed from a 24-win season in which they failed to reach expectations by a major margin, they ran back the roster with most of the same key players. The biggest addition has been third-overall pick V.J. Edgecombe, who is off to a stellar start to his NBA career. Despite the uncertainty, the Sixers enter this matchup off a 2-0 start to the season with victories over the Celtics and Hornets. They have shown an encouraging level of competitiveness and came back from double-digit deficits in the fourth quarter of both games to find a way to win.
Tonight will mark the first game that Joel Embiid misses this season as he has been ruled out due to injury management from his problematic knee. He has been kept to a strict 20-minute limit across the first two games he played, which have looked very different in terms of his production. Embiid struggled in the season-opener, finishing with four points, six rebounds and two assists while shooting 1-for-9 from the field. He then bounced back with 20 points, four assists and two boards in the second game over the same limited timeframe. Neither Paul George nor Jared McCain has made their season debut yet, while offseason addition Trendon Watford is also sidelined. Dominick Barlow joined them on the injury report with an elbow laceration that required a medical procedure and will miss tonight’s game as well.
Tyrese Maxey has scaled up his role from both a leadership and production standpoint. Through the first two games, he is averaging 34.0 points, 7.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds. Edgecombe has added 24.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists while showing more poise than you would expect for a 20-year-old. Quentin Grimes returned to the team following some offseason contract drama and is producing 17.0 points, 4.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds thus far. Kelly Oubre Jr. has played a major role while Andre Drummond, Adem Bona and Jabari Walker will be called on at a greater rate tonight with the injuries in mind.
The Orlando Magic were one of the biggest winners of the offseason, making a major trade to add Desmond Bane. The former Grizzlies sniper provides some necessary floor spacing to a roster that was missing this. Last season, the Magic shot just 31.8% from beyond the three-point arc as a team. This not only was the worst rate in the league, but the poorest three-point percentage of any team in the NBA since the Lakers in 2015-16, who shot 31.7% from beyond the arc.
Orlando enters with a cleaner bill of health with only Moe Wagner set to miss the matchup as he recovers from his ACL tear last season. His brother, Franz Wagner, has been the team’s leading scorer through their first three games, averaging 22.7 points per game along with 5.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists. Paolo Banchero has struggled a bit with his efficiency, shooting just 34.0% from the floor and 16.7% on three-point attempts, but he adds 19.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per contest. Bane is still settling in, but he is third on the team in scoring with 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Tristan da Silva, Jalen Suggs, Wendell Carter Jr., Anthony Black and Goga Bitadze round out most of their depth.
The Magic enter with a 1-2 record to start the season. They defeated the Miami Heat 125-121 in the season-opener, but fell to the Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls since. Both these teams last played on Saturday, so there is no rest advantage in either direction.
Sixers vs. Magic prediction, best bet
The biggest storyline to watch in this game will be the rebounding battle. With Embiid and Barlow sidelined, the Sixers’ starting frontcourt through the first two games, they are notably thin at the big man spot. This is a tough matchup for this to be the case with Orlando physical in its attack of the rim and deep at the big man spots.
Orlando should be hungry for a win coming off the consecutive losses and will view this as an opportunity. But there is a competitive spirit around this Sixers team that you can count on to show up. Coach Nick Nurse’s influence is becoming clear and the team has done an excellent job forcing turnovers and pushing the pace. Expect this to remain the gameplan with their guard-heavy rotation and for Maxey, Edgecombe and Grimes to each have their flashes.
The Magic should end up in the conversation for the best team in the East by the season’s end, but they are still learning how to play together. There has been some questionable shot selection from their stars and Bane has not been the cure-all to their spacing issues in the way it was hoped. Expect this to leave the door open just enough for the Sixers to remain within striking distance throughout and keep this a contest down to the wire. There is more talent on the Magic roster, but the Sixers have played more cohesive basketball. This is a game I expect to be up for grabs into the late minutes, so give the Sixers a chance to win outright. I am backing the Sixers to cover the 6.5-point spread and have a chance to pull off the upset at the end. Do not count them out if they fall behind, as Philadelphia has outscored opponents 81-55 in the fourth quarter through the opening two games. The Magic will need to play better than they have shown thus far if they are to get their desired result and expect the Sixers to show an effort level and identity that gives them a chance.