After suffering a 109-91 loss on Friday night to the Charlotte Hornets, the Sixers will look to rebound tonight as they travel to Orlando to face the 10-19 Magic. The Sixers are struggling again as their loss to Charlotte Friday night proved they are in the dumps right now. The Hornets came into the game significantly struggling as well and losing 14 of their last 16 games. At first, it felt like one of those nights that the Sixers could pull off a win and get another victory under their belt, but the Hornets came out fast, accumulating 37 points in the first quarter of play, making the Sixers look confused defensively. The first quarter told everyone how the game was going to turn out and like the first quarter, the Hornets dominated in every other quarter leading to only their 3rd victory in their last 17 attempts.
This game for the Sixers will kind of have the same feel as Friday night’s game, because the Magic haven’t been playing their best basketball as of late. They’ve lost three consecutive games and five out of their last six appearances. The bright spot for the Magic this season is the play of former Sixer, Nikola Vucevic, who has improved tremendously since his time in Philadelphia and has worked his way into becoming a dominant force down low for Orlando that opposing coach’s need to gameplan around. In his 23 games played this season, Vucevic has averaged double-double figures with 18.7 points per game and 11.5 rebounds per game. When the big man is on his game, he is simply a beast down low.
Game Notes
- The Magic have a handful of former Sixers or Sixer draft picks in Dewayne Dedmon, Willie Green, Maurice Harkless, Elfrid Payton and Nikola Vucevic.
- Tony Wroten had 27 points, eight assists and five steals in the season’s first meeting with the Magic.
- The Sixers need to come out ready to play because they are allowing an Eastern Conference-worst 27.4 points in the first quarter.
- Turnovers have plagued this Sixers team. 62 total in their three game home span, including 24 Friday night to the Hornets.
- The Sixers and the Magic are a combined 1-11 in their last 12 games. Somebody has to win!
Injuries
Rookie Aaron Gordon (foot) is out for the Magic.
Furkan Aldemir (plantar fasciitis) is day to day.
Joel Embiid (foot), Jason Richardson (knee/foot) and Ronny Turiaf (hip) are out indefinitely.
Projected Starters
Orlando
PG- Evan Fournier
SG- Victor Oladipo
SF- Tobias Harris
PF- Channing Frye
C- Nikola Vucevic
Sixers
PG- Michael Carter-Williams
SG- Hollis Thompson
SF- Robert Covington
PF- Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
C- Nerlens Noel
Prediction: The Sixers are in need of another win but I don’t think it’s coming tonight. 101-90 Magic.
