Orlando Magic vs Philadelphia 76ers Prediction & Match Preview - August 7th, 2020
Match Details
Fixture: Orlando Magic vs Philadelphia 76ers
Date & Time: Friday, August 7th, 2020, 6:30 PM ET (Saturday 4:00 PM IST)
Venue: HP Field House, Disney World, Orlando, FL
In a battle of Eastern Conference teams, we have the sixth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers taking on the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic.
The Philadelphia 76ers will look to improve their seeding since they are just 4 games behind the third-seeded Boston Celtics. The Orlando Magic, on the other hand, will hope to get to the seventh seed to avoid facing the top seed in the first round of the playoffs.
Orlando Magic Preview
The Orlando Magic had a good start in the NBA bubble with back-to-back victories against the Nets and the Kings. However, they were handily beaten by stronger teams - the Pacers and the Raptors - in their previous two games.
The Orlando Magic have suffered multiple injuries in these games. Jonathan Isaac, with a torn ACL, is not expected to return this season. Aaron Gordon suffered hamstring tightness and might not be available to play against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Nikola Vucevic has been integral to the Orlando Magic with consistent 20-point games. While Evan Fournier has blown hot and cold in the NBA bubble so far, Terrence Ross has performed well coming off the bench. Contributions from these players will be key for the Orlando Magic to win against the powerful Philadelphia 76ers.
Key player - Nikola Vucevic
With an excellent run so far in the NBA bubble, Nikola Vucevic will be the Orlando Magic player to watch out for. He has been averaging 19.5 points and 10.9 rebounds a game this season. With the Philadelphia 76ers post players being as dominant as they are, Vucevic will be key to the Orlando Magic's chances in this game.
Look out for the match-up between Vucevic and Joel Embiid in the paint in this game.
Orlando Magic predicted lineup
Markelle Fultz, Evan Fournier, James Ennis III, Terrence Ross, Nikola Vucevic
Philadelphia 76ers Preview
The Philadelphia 76ers' offense has undergone a massive change with Ben Simmons as the power forward and Shake Milton bringing the ball up the floor. Their team chemistry seems to be better than it has been all season long.
Joel Embiid has been lights out in the past three games, averaging a 30-point double-double. Tobias Harris has been very consistent with his scoring as well. Ben Simmons was struggling to make shots in the previous two games and is now suffering from some knee issues.
With Ben Simmons questionable, Al Horford will need to find his scoring form and support Embiid as the Philadelphia 76ers hope to win this game against the Orlando Magic and rise in the Eastern Conference rankings.
Key player - Joel Embiid
With Ben Simmons suffering a knee injury, this game is Joel Embiid's chance to shine for the Philadelphia 76ers. He has had an excellent time in the NBA bubble with high scoring performances in the games so far. Embiid will probably match up against Vucevic for a battle under the basket.
Embiid has been great this season and is averaging 24 points and 11.9 rebounds a game, but we all know that he can be far more dominant. The Cameroonian's scoring will be key to the Philadelphia 76ers in this game, and it will be interesting to see how he steps up to the challenge.
Philadelphia 76ers predicted lineup
Shake Milton, Josh Richardson, Tobias Harris, Al Horford, Joel Embiid
Orlando Magic vs Philadelphia 76ers Match Prediction
The Philadephia 76ers are expected to win this game against the Orlando Magic handily. The Orlando Magic are shorthanded on the defensive end without Aaron Gordon, and they do not have the size and power to stop the Philadelphia 76ers' bigs.
Joel Embiid will be expected to come out blazing in this game. The only hope for the Orlando Magic is if Vucevic can somehow contain Embiid, with all other players scoring efficiently at the other end.
Where to watch Magic vs 76ers?
Local coverage of the match can be seen on NBC Sports Philadelphia and FOX Sports Florida. The same will be broadcast nationwide in the US on TNT. Fans in India can watch the game live on Sony Six. You can also live stream the fixture via NBA League Pass.
Also Read: NBA Injury Report - Ben Simmons' knee trouble, Jaren Jackson Jr. out for the season