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  • The Magic are 17-10 and own the best record in the Southeast Division.
  • OKC is 20-5 and has the best record in the Northwest Division.
  • These teams last played on Nov. 4, with the Thunder claiming a 102-86 victory.

One of the games on tap from Thursday night’s NBA slate features the Orlando Magic squaring off against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Our Magic vs Thunder prediction foresees OKC coming out on top.

Magic Look To Overcome Recent Struggles

After a 115-110 victory against the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 8, the Magic have dropped back-to-back games against the Milwaukee Bucks (114-109) and the New York Knicks (100-91). In the nine-point loss to New York, Orlando had its fair share of struggles putting the ball in the hoop, and only two players reached double figures.

Moritz Wagner scored a team-high 32 points off the bench and grabbed six rebounds. He shot 10-for-15 from the floor and 4-for-7 from beyond the arc. Tristan da Silva added 20 points, including two 3-pointers. The Magic shot 41.9 percent from the field overall and converted just nine of their 30 attempts from 3-point range.

Thunder Seek Redemption After NBA Cup Title Loss

As was the case last season, the Thunder are one of the top teams in the Western Conference. They had won five straight games before their 97-81 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Cup title game. Three of the team’s starters scored in double figures, headlined by a 21-point effort from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Jalen Willams added 18 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Isaiah Hartenstein produced a double-double that included 16 points and 12 rebounds. The Thunder trailed 51-50 at the break but came out flat in the second half, as they were outscored 46-31, including 26-14 in the third quarter. In addition to converting only 42 percent of its shot attempts, Oklahoma City was outscored by a 51-15 margin from long range.

Magic vs Thunder Prediction: OKC Gets The “W”

The Magic have the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference and are a top-three team from a defensive standpoint. However, they have gone 2-4 across their last six games after a 15-7 start. Meanwhile, the Thunder have gone 9-1 in their previous 10 outings.

This group is a top-10 squad from a scoring standpoint and boasts the top defense in the association. They are limiting opponents to 42 percent shooting overall and 33.1 percent from 3-point range. Both marks are tops in the league. Given these trends, look for OKC to stay hot.

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