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The Orlando Magic are coming off their second straight 1-3 week, and still maintain the second-worst record in the NBA at 12-33, which is three games better than the 8-35 Milwaukee Bucks. The Magic are 6.5 games behind the eighth-seed Charlotte Bobcats for the last playoff spot in the East.
The Magic will be favored in one of their four games this week. Here's a look at the schedule:
Tuesday, January 28th, Magic at Detroit Pistons, 7:30 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Florida
Losers of 13 of their last 17 games, the Pistons have fallen on hard times lately and are a game behind the Charlotte Bobcats for the final playoff spot in the East. Point guard Brandon Jennings leads the team averaging 16.8 points per game along with 8.2 assists, but is very inefficient as his 48.4 percent True Shooting Percentage indicates. Forward Josh Smith averages 15.4 points, but with even worse 46.1 percent True Shooting. Second-year center Andre Drummond averages a double-double of 12.8 points and 12.8 rebounds. The Magic beat Detroit previously, 109-92, in Orlando in late December.
Wednesday, January 29th, Magic at Toronto Raptors, 7:00 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Florida
The two teams face each other for the first of three games in 2013-14. The Raptors are 22-21, leading the Atlantic Division, and are tied for fourth place in the East with the Chicago Bulls. Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, competing with Magic shooting guard Arron Afflalo for a reserve spot in the All-Star Game, averages 21.8 points per game, but on below-average 51.7 percent True Shooting. Point guard Kyle Lowry averages 16.0 points per game on efficient 57.7 percent True Shooting along with 7.5 assists. Swingman Terrence Ross, averaging 10.2 points a game, is coming off a terrific 51-point effort against the Los Angeles Clippers Saturday night.
Friday, January 31st, Milwaukee Bucks at Magic, 7:00 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Florida
The Bucks make their final visit to Orlando in 2013-14 with the worst record, worst point differential, and worst offense in the league, so no surprise the Magic will be favored in this one. Milwaukee has lost 14 of their last 16 games. Point guard Brandon Knight leads the team in scoring, averaging 16 points and 4.5 assists per game but at a below-average 52.1 percent True Shooting. Offseason free-agent signee O.J. Mayo averages 12.2 points per game but at just 50.4 percent True Shooting. Afflalo scored 36 points to lead the Magic to a 94-91 win over the Bucks in November.
Sunday, February 2nd, Magic at Boston Celtics, 1:00 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Florida
The Magic spend Super Bowl Sunday in Boston to play the Celtics for the final time in 2013-14. Boston has beaten Orlando in two of their three games so far, but the Magic beat the Celtics last Sunday to break a 10-game losing streak. Despite the return of point guard Rajon Rondo, the Celtics are still struggling, having lost eight of their last 10 games and with a 15-31 record overall, four games behind Charlotte for the last playoff spot in the East. In his five games back, Rondo is averaging just 6.6 points per game on 29 percent shooting. Forward word Jeff Green leads the team with a 16.2 points per game average.
