Brooklyn Nets vs Orlando Magic: Too many injuries and absentees

This game signifies how much COVID-19 has made its presence felt in recent times. The Brooklyn Nets will be without Kevin Durant, James Harden, and a host of other players when they take on the Orlando Magic at their home floor. The Orlando Magic has 80% of their roster out with injuries, COVID-19, this and that. With so many players out, how can you even prepare an evaluation and how much can you stake in such a haphazard scenario!

NBA in turmoil: As feared, the Chicago Bulls games postponement meant that the COVID-19 outbreak has once again claimed players after players. Magic has almost all starters out with the exception of Franz Wanger. Their second main scorer in Terence Ross is going to be out, most likely while Cole Anthony, their leading scorer is going through an ankle injury and his status is unclear. For the Nets, they are missing Kevin Durant, James Harden, LaMarcus Aldridge, Patty Mills, James Johnson, DeAndre Bembrey, Jevon Carter, Paul Millsap, Joe Harris, and Kyrie Irving for this game. That is like 90% of the team’s roster at this point.

Who will be available then?: As of now, Nets have signed Langston Galloway on a 10-day contract. They have Blake Griffin, Nik Claxton, David Duke Jr., Kirk Edwards, Cam Thomas, Day’Ron Sharpe, and the team will need one more player to fulfill the criteria of having eight active players for a game to go ahead. As per reports, James Ennis and Shaquille Harrison have been awarded 10-day contracts and thus, that can make up the makeshift Nets roster.

For the Magic, regular rotation players Franz Wagner, Chuma Okeke and Gary Harris are the only players available who play regular minutes. Cole Anthony’s status is in doubt. But other deep bench reserves like Robin Lopez, Mychal Mulder can step in too. The team also signed Aleem Ford, Hassani Gravett, B.J. Johnson, and Admiral Schoffeld to fulfill the minimum players requirement. You can see so many names floating around but that is the situation right now, some of the rosters are running out of players at this point.

Points Range and Prediction: Let me be honest, this is a tricky time to be a bettor, tipster, and bookmaker. How can you evaluate and set stakes on games where almost 80% of the major players are missing? Still, let us see, for Magic, Franz Wagner and Chuma Okeke can be the two scorers if they get Wendell Carter Jr. and Cole Anthony back, they’d still have some regular rotation players, meaning they can get to 110/120 against a Brooklyn unit that is missing its players. What can you expect from Brooklyn? Lord knows what! With all their starters and superstars Kevin Durant and James Harden out, you never know what will transpire here. My points range here is 210-225. I think the Magic will win this one 117:98. Tough call…

• Alternative Point Spread: Orlando Magic -1.5 for 2.30;
• Total 2 Over 106.5 for 1.86;
• Total O 213.5 for 1.90.