Oklahoma City Thunder vs Orlando Magic Prediction: Thunder has shown impressive chops

NBA Regular Season is on and so far we have seen a bunch of close games throughout. The results have all over been the place and it is difficult to judge which teams will have a breakout game. Anyway, these are the early parts of the season and the full-blown field is still wide open. And one team has capitalized upon the early window; the Oklahoma City Thunder. They will take on the Orlando Magic here.

The Thunder come into this game after springing up a 117:111 OT win against the Dallas Mavericks as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander inserted 38 points. Like the past seasons, Shai has led the Thunder in scoring in all the games he has played and has become one of the most dependable scorers in the scene. The Thunder has started the season with three wins and three losses which means that they have so far showcased some amazing brands of basketball.

Thunder’s development process has been hit due to the absence of Josh Giddey and Chet Holmgren. Giddey is a sophomore who has shown promise as an all-around Guard whereas Holmgren is a rookie with a high ceiling. Luguentz Dort’s three-point shot has been off but he has scored in other ways while playing terrific defense at the same time. Tre Mann’s shot has been off too and overall, the team hasn’t been an efficient long-range shooting team, relying more upon inside production.

What has made the Thunder lethal is their defense which showcased great potential last season and they have reaped rewards. Aleksej Pokusevski has been inserted into the starting lineup whereas the bench looks in decent touch with Jalen Williams, Darius Bazley, and Kenrich Williams. It will be interesting to see how the Thunder fares this season and whether will they be able to become a playoff team?

The Magic has been faring as expected, they come into this game after losing to the Dallas Mavericks 105:114 despite an 18 points outing by rookie Paolo Banchero. They have now lost six out of seven games and there are concerns if they can be able to get even 25 wins. Their injury list has grown and the backcourt is annihilated with their leading Point Cole Anthony and prospect Jalen Suggs out for a decent chunk of time. Anyway, it isn’t like that everything is in a dark place. Markelle Fultz’s injury has engulfed his early career.

The Forward rotations are incredible for the team and hold a lot of promise. Rookie Paolo Banchero has showcased amazing potential and his versatile scoring has turned heads. While Wendell Carter’s game hasn’t taken a leap, he still provides inside scoring, rebounding, and defense. Franz Wagner is an impressive Forward but the one who has garnered headlines is Bol Bol. He is top-five in blocks and field goal percentage, performing at his best.

The trouble for the Magic outfit is that right now they lack shot-creators and even when Cole Anthony plays, he has recurring efficiency issues. Jalen Suggs has a LONG WAY to go and the team is finding its feet. The Magic are a long-term project and right now they are still looking for players who will kickstart something special in their Franchise. Paolo Banchero can potentially become the face of the Franchise.

• Thunder: OUT: Josh Giddey, Chet Holmgren;
• Magic: OUT: Gary Harris, Moritz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, Markelle Fultz, Jonathan Isaac.

• Likely Leading Scorers: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander(30+ Points), Paolo Bancher(21-26 Points Expected);
• Likely Leading Rebounders: Darius Bazley(9-12 Rebounds), Wendell Carter Jr.,(10-14 rebounds), Bol Bol(8-12 Rebounds), Paolo Banchero(8-12 Rebounds);
• Likely Leading Playmaker: Shai GIlgeous-Alexander(6+ Assists).

The Thunder has looked in fantastic touch lately and their form is not a dud considering they have beaten the Luka Doncic-led Mavs. On the other hand, the Magic lacks the shooting and Guard depth to keep up against most squads and although their Four bigs lineup is enticing, it can be rusty on the offensive end at the same time. It will be interesting to see how the Magic defense will respond red-hot Shai.

The Thunder has been showcasing great discipline on defense and their bench depth has been promising too. The Magic lacks the depth right now and playing at road only adds to their woes. I believe the Thunder will shut down Magic here and bank upon their fourth win. I believe the points range will be 210-220.