Magic -4.5 @ Clippers — a good analysis is often not the most nuanced. The Clippers suck. The Magic don’t.
Orlando are a very strong road team. The Magic were 6-0 away from home in November off some beast-like performances from Dwight Howard. The Clippers, for all their hype and talent, are one of the weakest teams in the league. They have lost 7 of their last 9, with their only wins coming at home against the Heat (poor road team) and in Minnesota (well, who cares?). Whilst the Magic’s road victories have been mostly against sub-.500 teams such as the Clippers, don’t think they won’t win easily here. The Magic have historically done very well against the Clippers. The spread should be in the 7.5 point region - it’s pretty amazing a 15-5 team who are 3rd best on the road can only be 4.5 point favourites against a 4-16 team who have the 2nd worst home record in the league.
1.5 units on Orlando -4.5 at 1.943.
Rockets - 7.5 @ Grizzlies– don’t let the Grizz’s modest 4-5 home record fool you; they are a lot worse than this suggests. The only teams they have beaten at home this year include the Clippers, Kings and Warriors. None of these teams are even in the same league as the Rockets; most notably none of them play defence. When Houston win they tend to win big (average victory is 11 ppg) and when Memphis lose they tend to lose big (average loss is 12 ppg). Houston are going to really step up and try and win these type of games to make sure they win the heavily contested Southwest division.
2 units on Houston -7.5 at 2.
Orlando are a very strong road team. The Magic were 6-0 away from home in November off some beast-like performances from Dwight Howard. The Clippers, for all their hype and talent, are one of the weakest teams in the league. They have lost 7 of their last 9, with their only wins coming at home against the Heat (poor road team) and in Minnesota (well, who cares?). Whilst the Magic’s road victories have been mostly against sub-.500 teams such as the Clippers, don’t think they won’t win easily here. The Magic have historically done very well against the Clippers. The spread should be in the 7.5 point region - it’s pretty amazing a 15-5 team who are 3rd best on the road can only be 4.5 point favourites against a 4-16 team who have the 2nd worst home record in the league.
1.5 units on Orlando -4.5 at 1.943.
Rockets - 7.5 @ Grizzlies– don’t let the Grizz’s modest 4-5 home record fool you; they are a lot worse than this suggests. The only teams they have beaten at home this year include the Clippers, Kings and Warriors. None of these teams are even in the same league as the Rockets; most notably none of them play defence. When Houston win they tend to win big (average victory is 11 ppg) and when Memphis lose they tend to lose big (average loss is 12 ppg). Houston are going to really step up and try and win these type of games to make sure they win the heavily contested Southwest division.
2 units on Houston -7.5 at 2.