NBA Picks 4/12 – Orlando Magic at Philadelphia 76ers

NBA Picks 4/12 – Orlando Magic at Philadelphia 76ers

by Thomas Quaynor for Wannamakeabet.com

The Orlando Magic (46-34, fifth in the Eastern Conference) visit the Philadelphia 76ers (45-35, seventh in the Eastern Conference) tonight at Wells Fargo Center in a game with big playoff implications. The winner of tonight’s game moves closer to clinching a playoff spot and avoiding the Play-In tournament. Philadelphia is currently one game behind Orlando and Indiana for the sixth spot in the East. Philadelphia is a 6.5-point favorite and the total is 213. The teams are meeting for the third and final time tonight. The 76ers won the first two games in convincing fashion, winning 112-92 at Orlando on Dec. 27 and 124-109 at home on Jan. 19.  Philadelphia has dominated Orlando in recent years, winning 14 of the last 15 matchups dating back to December 2019.

Orlando is coming off a 117-99 loss at Milwaukee on Wednesday night, it was their third loss in four games. Cole Anthony scored a team-high 23 points off the bench for Orlando in the loss. Philadelphia enters tonight’s contest on a six-game winning streak after a 120-102 victory over Detroit on Wednesday night. 76ers center Joel Embiid scored a game-high 37 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in the win. 

GAME STORYLINES: ORLANDO

In August 2012, the Orlando Magic traded their franchise center Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers. Howard made 6 All-Star games, was named Defensive Player of the Year three times and led Orlando to the 2009 NBA Finals over his 8 seasons with the team. In the 10 seasons since Howard’s departure, Orlando has experienced just one winning season, a 42-40 finish in 2018-19. The 2019 season was also their only playoff appearance over that 10-year period. 

Orlando’s fortunes changed when they landed the No.1 overall pick in 2022 and selected Duke forward Paolo Banchero. Banchero had a fantastic rookie season averaging 20 ppg and 6.9 rpg as Orlando increased their win total by 12 games over the previous season. Banchero was named the unanimous Rookie of the Year after receiving 98 of 100 first-place votes. The 21-year-old forward has been even better in year two, averaging 22.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists on 45.2 percent shooting from the floor through 78 games. He was also named an All-Star for this season. Orlando’s 46 wins is their most since the 2011-12 season – Dwight Howard’s last year with the team – when they finished 52-30. Banchero’s high level of play is a big reason for Orlando’s turnaround.

Small forward Franz Wagner is the robin to Banchero’s batman for Orlando. The third-year swingman was selected eighth overall in the 2021 NBA draft and has improved his stats each season. The 22-year-old Wagner is averaging 19.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1 steal on 48.2 percent shooting from the floor across 70 games. Wagner has missed the last two games after spraining his right ankle in a Apr. 7 win against Chicago, he may be held out until the playoffs.

Guards Jalen Suggs (12.6 pts, 3.1 rebs, 2.7 asts, 1.4 stls, 2.1 threes) and Cole Anthony (11.6 pts, 3.9 rebs), along with centers Wendell Carter Jr. (11.2 pts, 7.2 rebs, 1.2 threes, 52% from 2) and Moritz Wagner (10.8 pts, 4.4 rebs, 59.4% from 2) are solid complementary pieces around Banchero and F. Wagner. Suggs was selected with the No. 5 pick in the same 2021 draft as Franz Wagner. The 24-year-old Carter is a talented post player but has had trouble staying healthy as he’s failed to play in more than 62 games at any point in his 6-year NBA career. Moritz Wagner is the older brother of Franz, both of them attended Michigan.

GAME STORYLINES: PHILADELPHIA

The Philadelphia 76ers have had a topsy-turvy 2023-24 as they were cruising through the first 42 games of the season with a 29-13 record and reigning MVP Joel Embiid playing at an MVP level again. Embiid even had a 70-point, 18-rebound game against San Antonio on Jan. 22. But everything took a turn for the worse on Jan. 30 when Embiid suffered an injury to his meniscus in his left knee on Jan. 30. The injury kept Embiid out for 29 games, Philadelphia went 11-18 without Embiid and took a tumble down the Eastern Conference standings. 

Joel Embiid returned to the 76ers on Apr. 2 against Oklahoma City, he finished with 24 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds and 3 steals over 29 minutes in a 109-105 win. Philadelphia has gone 5-0 since Embiid’s return and are now in a good position to finish among the top 6 in the East and avoid the NBA’s Play-In tournament. Embiid is averaging 30 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks while shooting 51.4 percent from the floor in 4 games since his return. For the season, Embiid is averaging careers highs of 34.8 ppg and 5.2 apg, along with 11.2 rpg and 1.7 bpg over 38 contests. 

Explosive guard Tyrese Maxey has been tremendous this season in year four. The 23-year-old guard is averaging career-highs of 25.9 points, 6.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 3 threes and 1 steal across 68 games. He scored a career-high 52 points in a double-overtime win at San Antonio on Apr. 7. Maxey has increased his averages each year he’s been in the NBA and has done an admirable job carrying a bigger scoring load with Embiid out for 2 months. Maxey was named an All-Star for the first time in his career this season. 

Forward Tobias Harris (17.2 pts, 6.5 rebs, 3.1 asts, 1 stl, 48.6% from 2), swingman Kelly Oubre Jr. (15.5 pts, 5 rebs, 1.2 stls, 1.5 threes) and sharpshooter Buddy Hield (12.2 pts, 2.5 threes) have all been outstanding in supporting roles for Embiid and Maxey. Oubre really stepped up his production with Embiid out and Maxey missing time with injuries, he’s putting up 19.5 ppg and 6.1 rpg since Mar. 1. The 76ers added the 31-year-old Hield at the February trade deadline. He has struggled of late after getting off to a fast start with the 76ers, but he is a career 40 percent three-point shooter. Hield’s shooting could be valuable come playoff time with defenses focusing on Embiid. 

THE PICK: 76ERS (-6.5)

Philadelphia is clicking on all cylinders since Embiid’s return and are ramping up for the playoffs. I think Orlando is too young and inexperienced to handle a locked in 76ers squad in Philadelphia. Lay the Points and take the 76ers!