Does the Magic’s black streak continue at the Raps?

The Toronto Raptors await the Orlando Magic for the sixth game in the still young season in the NBA. The home side will finally be able to play at their home Scotiabank Arena again this season, after having to use an alternate venue in Florida last season due to restrictive Canadian travel regulations in the wake of the pandemic.

However, the regained home court advantage in the opener against the Washington Wizards didn’t help much as the Capitals recorded the win. After that, two wins and two losses each were recorded. The visitors, for their part, started with four defeats and only one triumph against the Knicks. The Pistons are the only team worse in the Eastern Conference.

For the clash between the Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic, the tip is aiming for a home win with at least a six-point difference.

Toronto Raptors – Statistics & current form

The Toronto Raptors endured a horror season last year, with the 2019 champions ultimately settling for a meagre 37.5 per cent win percentage. A value that is around ten percent below the average record of the Hogtown-based franchise, which has been in the NBA for 26 years.

Toronto missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years and it is already clear that the rebuilding process at Lake Ontario will take some time. The squad can still be described as below average. Compared to last season, it has even lost some of its quality.

This assessment results from the departure of six-time All-Star Kyle Lowry to Miami. The point guard was the 2019 championship team and also unable to suit up is Pascal Siakam. The power forward is suffering from a shoulder injury and will be missing especially on the offensive end.

Last season, “Spicy P” was not only the best scorer with an average of 21.4 points, but also the strongest rebounder (7.2) on the Raps’ side.

Moderate start to the season in Toronto

With the personnel situation so tight, it’s little surprise that head coach Nick Nurse’s men have had a mixed showing so far. Moreover, the home bonus has not yet materialised: Of the four games already played in front of their own crowd, only the most recent game against the Pacers was won.

But this victory was very important from a psychological point of view, as it was the first home win in 20 months! Among the newcomers is point guard Goran Dragic. The MIP of 2014 played the past seven years in Miami and is of course over his zenith at 35.

The oldie from Slovenia will not be more than a backup from the bench. With Siakam out and the offensive performances on the hosts’ side so far lacking, the odds on a maximum 108 points by the Canadians in Toronto Raptors vs. Orlando Magic are of additional interest.

Maximum 210 points by the final siren?

Also, tips on less than 211 points in the course of the game offer themselves, since the guests also do not arrive with a powerful and equally decimated offense. The last prediction is supported by the statistics of the encounter: in six of the past ten duels, the selected limit was not exceeded!

Predicted Toronto Raptors line-up:
Barnes – Anunoby – Achiuwa – Trent Jr – VanVleet

Orlando Magic – Statistics & current form

There was equally little to laugh about with the franchise from the Sunshine State last season: With Nikola Vucevic, the only real star went off board and on top of that, the injury misfortune struck hard in Orlando. From a German perspective, however, the squad has two local players to offer. Small forward Franz Wagner was picked by the Magic in last year’s draft.

The 20-year-old was selected eighth in the first round, making him the only German besides Dirk Nowitzki to be selected in the top 10 of a draft. He has also increased the number of active German players in the NBA to seven.

In Orlando, he plays alongside his brother Moritz Wagner, who has pitched his tents in Florida since last season. However, the power forward from Berlin only takes a role on the bench in Orlando.

Rookie Wagner makes successful start in the NBA

His younger brother, on the other hand, has made it straight into the starting five. In his first games with the Magic, the youngster made a good impression and scored a dozen points in the opener against San Antonio, for example.

For a rookie debut, this yield was of course respectable and in the following four matches, the German always scored double-digit points.

The debut of the other rookie Jalen Suggs was less pleasing: After four games, the shooting guard has a shooting percentage of a meagre 29 percent and is about 20 percentage points below the value of Franz Wagner.

Lazarette in Orlando is unbrokenly filled

Furthermore, the injury worries are still there for the franchise from the Southeast Division: For example, power forward Jonathan Isaac is unable to play due to a torn ACL and has been missing for more than a year now.

Predicted Orlando Magic lineup:
Wagner – Carter – Bamba – Suggs – Anthony

Toronto Raptors – Orlando Magic Head-to-head comparison / H2H record

The pros from the Atlantic Division managed comparatively few victories last season, but against Orlando all three comparisons were won! Thanks to these successes, the status as a fearful opponent for the two-time winner of the Eastern Conference was cemented: The visitors have not won against Bay Street basketballers in eleven duels!

Toronto Raptors – Orlando Magic tip

Orlando has a new coach since the summer with Jamahl Mosley. The 43-year-old has taken on a head coaching position for the first time in his career and immediately has his hands full in “O-Town”. The franchise has to be rebuilt and with Isaac an important piece of the puzzle is still missing due to injury.

This parallels 2017’s first pick in the person of Markelle Fultz. For the game between the Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic, the forecast therefore includes a home win with at least a six-point difference. Admittedly, it is not only the visitors who will be shorthanded, as the Raps’ top shooter Pascal Siakam is out of action.

However, the rest of the squad shows more quality compared to the upcoming opponents. The last win against Indiana supports this assessment and players like VanVleet or Anunoby have clearly been in better form than at the start of the season. Both players delivered a season-high in points in the last game.

Furthermore, the team from Orlando suits the Canadians, as the impressive series of eleven wins in a row shows, and the past nine triumphs have always come with at least a six-point lead. Unibet offers odds of 1.62 on the Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic in this match-up