The red hot Philadelphia 76ers host the struggling Orlando Magic tonight, Monday Jan 30th, as the Magic try to avoid losing four straight. The Magic have won nine of their last ten meetings. NBA oddsmakers have the 76ers as -7 point home favorites over the Magic with the over/under set at 179 points. Be sure to check the Orlando Magic vs Philadelphia 76ers 2012 NBA Point Spreads before the game tips off.
Orlando (12-8, 6-4 V) looks awful right now. The Magic lost for the fourth time in five games Sunday, falling 106-85 on their home floor to the Indiana Pacers. The defense looked uninterested at times. The offense struggled to protect the ball. And, worst of all, the Pacers flat-out outhustled the Magic. In the last four losses, the Magic were clobbered by 31 points by the Boston Celtics, relinquished a 27-point lead to Boston, were routed by 26 by the hapless New Orleans Hornets and were annihilated by 21 by the Pacers.
On offense the Magic have failed to score more than 19 points in eight of their last 10 quarters of play. There’s the defense. On Sunday, Orlando had so many defensive breakdowns that the Pacers made more than half their shots and scored 56 points in the paint. There’s also an energy problem, and maybe that should cause more concern than anything else. Dwight Howard scored a team-high 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting. But he also missed 11 of his 15 free-throw attempts, and his continued struggles at the line prevent him from being a bona fide go-to guy when his teammates struggle. And there was a lot of struggling going on. With starting point guard Jameer Nelson out with a probable concussion, the Magic committed 19 total turnovers — 14 in the game’s first 17 minutes — and the team encounters difficulty just bringing the ball upcourt these days. Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson and Ryan Anderson totaled just seven points in the entire second half.
Philadelphia (14-6, 10-2 H) won their second straight game with a 95-74 victory over the struggling Detroit Pistons on Saturday night. Andre Iguodala had 10 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds for the league’s fourth triple-double this season. Lou Williams scored 17 points, Elton Brand added 14 and Jrue Holiday had 13 for the Sixers, who improved to 14-6 and 10-2 at home. They are 3-1 on this seven-game homestand, which gets markedly tougher this week.
The Sixers brand of team-first basketball has produced eight players averaging more than 9.4 points a game, none higher than 15.7; a league-best 1.92-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio (445 assists, 232 turnovers); a league-low average of 87.0 points against and a second-best .418 percent field-goal percentage allowed. There’s no denying that they have beaten up on many of the league’s lesser teams, but they have done it for a good stretch without starting center Spencer Hawes, who has missed the past six games with an Achilles’ strain. Hawes’ backup, Nikola Vucevic, has missed four straight with a quad contusion.
Recent Trends to Consider:
Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
Magic are 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Philadelphia.
Magic are 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
Road team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.
76ers are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games as a favorite of 5.0-10.5.
76ers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a home favorite of 5.0-10.5.
76ers are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 home games.
76ers are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games as a home favorite.
Magic are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
Magic are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. Eastern Conference.
Orlando Magic vs Philadelphia 76ers
When: Monday, Jan 30th@7:00 PM EST
Pick: Sixers -7
Point-Spreads recommends you check the Magic vs 76ers 2012 NBA Point Spreads before the game tips off.
The Bottom Line: The Sixers have confidence, especially at home, while the Magic suffer period. NBA Point Spreads Expert Tyler Morgan turned in another successful NBA weekend. Morgan is now 5-2 and his 2011-2012 NBA Picks record is an astounding 10-2 (83 %). Tyler’s moves put thousands of dollars into his clients hands week after week during the regular season. The good news for NBA bettors is – TYLER MORGAN’S PICKS ARE FREE – unlike most self proclaimed experts who charge big bucks to subscribers. Put a few Morgan Silver Dollars in your bank account during the 2012 NBA season by getting Tyler’s winning plays for FREE. Feel free to sign up to get NBA Picks Free!
