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The Orlando Magic are falling out of contention with the best teams in the Eastern Conference, and their task of picking up valuable wins doesn’t get any easier when they host the San Antonio Spurs. Join The Roar for live scores from 11am (AEDT).
The Magic enter this game on the back of two straight wins against the Atlanta Hawks, but have lost 11 of their last 14 matches, in what has been a nightmare few weeks.
An injury to small forward Tobias Harris – who averages 13 points and seven rebounds per game, and was one of the Magic’s best in the early season – has not helped their cause at all.
In Harris’ absence, centre Nikola Vucevic is now averaging 17 points and nine rebounds per game, and the Spurs will struggle to shut him down.
No Tim Duncan significantly weakens San Antonio inside, and the way Boris Diaw matches up against Vucevic could define this game.
The Spurs will need a big attacking performance, with that weakened defence. Look to Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker to produce the goods.
After a few shock losses in the last fortnight, the Spurs now have five wins in a row, with big away scalps against the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat.
This will be the Magic and Spurs second and final match-up for the season. The first was only nine days ago, when the Spurs though led by five with a quarter to play, but dominated down the stretch to win by 15.
That night LaMarcus Aldridge dropped 28 points, making nine of 13 from the field, and five rejections.
Prediction
The Magic don’t have the offensive capability to trouble the Spurs – even without Duncan.
Spurs by 8.
Join The Roar for live scores of this NBA fixture, and be sure to leave your comments in the section below.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde