The Orlando Magic (15-25) are coming into tonight's game off the back of a 115-101 win over the Golden State Warriors. Their opponents tonight, the Sacramento Kings (20-18), are currently on a two-game losing skid.
The Magic looked strong in their surprise victory over the Warriors. Power forward Paolo Banchero led the way on offense, scoring a commendable 25 points. The Kings, meanwhile, suffered a 136-134 upset loss against their longtime rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, in their most recent game. They'll no doubt be looking to return to winning ways tonight considering the Atlanta Hawks upset they suffered prior to the Lakers showdown.
Orlando Magic vs. Sacramento Kings Match Details
Fixture: Magic @ Kings
Date & Time: Monday, January 9, 10:10 p.m. ET
Venue: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California
Orlando Magic vs. Sacramento Kings Injury Report
On the Magic's front, power forward Chuma Okeke is out with a knee injury. Center Bol Bol is out due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Power forward Jonathan Isaac is out with a knee injury.
On the Kings' end, there are no reported injuries ahead of tonight's game.
Orlando Magic vs. Sacramento Kings Betting Odds & Spreads
Orlando Magic vs. Sacramento Kings Starting 5s
Magic - PG: Markelle Fultz, SG: Gary Harris, SF: Franz Wagner, PF: Paulo Banchero, C: Wendell Carter Jr.
Kings - PG: De'Aaron Fox, SG: Kevin Huerter, SF: Harrison Barnes, PF: Keegan Murray, C: Domantas Sabonis
Magic vs. Kings Prediction
The Lakers loss summed up the Kings' biggest strengths and weaknesses. On offense, the team were relentless, but on defense, they ultimately surrendered a whopping 70 points in the paint. The sheer recklessness the Sacramento outfit have shown on the defensive end of the court has cost them repeatedly this season.
At this point, the group's defensive issues border on outweighing their offensive prowess. Point guard De'Aaron Fox continues to impress, averaging 24.2 points per game.
The Magic, meanwhile, have had a troublesome season for the most part. They will have more momentum than the Kings tonight, though, and looked impressive against the Warriors. The Magic did fall to the Sacramento outfit back in November in a grueling 126-123 OT contest. Overall, the Kings are the superior team and should be able to do even better tonight given their clean bill of health. Even with their recent setbacks, a Kings win seems like the most likely outcome here.
Prediction: Kings -5.5 (-110)
Sacramento Kings Nation! You can check out the latest Sacramento Kings Schedule and dive into the Kings Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.