Preview: Milwaukee At Orlando
When: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, November 27, 2015
Where: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
A change in the starting lineup helped spark a victory for the Orlando Magic last time out and they look to build off it when the struggling Milwaukee Bucks pay a visit on Friday. Victor Oladipo responded with a season-high 24 points after moving to the bench as the Magic snapped a two-game slide with a 100-91 win over New York on Wednesday.
Oladipo, who is shooting 36.7 percent from the field overall, said he embraced the new role and Orlando coach Scott Skiles told reporters, “It’s a one-game sample, but everybody did something positive.” The Magic hopes to take advantage of the Bucks, who have dropped four of their last five and frustrations boiled over after a 129-118 loss to Sacramento on Wednesday. Milwaukee coach Jason Kidd was ejected late in the contest and players from both teams reportedly jawed in the tunnel. Kidd told reporters, “we didn’t want to play defense and they took advantage of it. That’s as easy as it is.”
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FSN Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE BUCKS (6-9): Milwaukee allowed 97.4 points per game last season and is giving up 105.6 along with 46.2 percent shooting in the first 15 contests of 2015-16. The Bucks allowed 115 points or more six times and Sacramento produced the most Wednesday without leading scorer DeMarcus Cousins in the lineup. Giannis Antetokounmpo (17.8 points, 6.5 rebounds) and free-agent signing Greg Monroe (16.1, 9.9) are both shooting better than 50 percent from the field to lead the offense.
ABOUT THE MAGIC (7-8): Forward Channing Frye, a solid perimeter shooter, joined the starting lineup in order to balance the units a bit and give Oladipo a chance to be a bit more aggressive. Oladipo, who is now averaging 13.7 points, earned 15 free throws after attacking the rim and made 13 of them while center Nikola Vucevic scored 22 and grabbed 12 boards against the Knicks. Guard Evan Fournier — the Magic’s leading scorer (17.7) — must rebound after only his second single-figure effort (three).
BUZZER BEATERS
1. While the Bucks have regressed defensively, Orlando is sixth in the league in field-goal percentage defense (42.4) after finishing 28th last season (46.3).
2. Milwaukee SG Khris Middleton is shooting 45.3 percent from behind the 3-point line and 36.5 inside of it.
3. Magic F Andrew Nicholson did not score in the first 11 games – playing only seven minutes — and has registered 37 points combined in the last four.
PREDICTION: Magic 100, Bucks 94