<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/magic-news-unheralded-weapon-jamahl-mosley-praise-after-celtics-stunner');   ga('set', 'title', 'Magic’s unheralded weapon gets flowers from Jamahl Mosley after Celtics stunner');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Magic-news-Unheralded-weapon-gets-flowers-from-Jamahl-Mosley-after-Celtics-stunner.jpg"></figure><h1>Magic’s unheralded weapon gets flowers from Jamahl Mosley after Celtics stunner</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-24T01:51:16-08:00">December 24th, 1:51am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-24T01:51:48-08:00">December 24th, 1:51am</time><address><a>Dylan Fine</a>Dylan Fine focuses on the NFL and NCAA Football for ClutchPoints, in addition to working on the meme team. Dylan is a graduate of Georgetown University and has covered various topics ranging from local politics in the DMV region with DC Voter For Animals to live sporting events in the Long Island and Rochester areas with The Southampton Press and Pickin’Splinters. When he isn't working, he's usually running in preparation for the next annual Turkey Trot.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>One of the Orlando Magic’s most underrated players got a shoutout from head coach Jamahl Mosley after the team’s shocking win over the Boston Celtics. The Eastern Conference contender has had an abysmal year with injury-luck so far this season. The latest blow is that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/magic-news-moe-wagner-career-year-is-over-due-to-torn-acl">Mo Wagner is out for the season</a> with a torn ACL. Despite not having their sixth man and two stars in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, the Magic were able to defend homecourt against the reigning NBA champions, mainly due to rookie Tristan da Silva.</p><p>A rookie out of Colorado, da Silva led the Magic with 18 points on eleven shots. The Munich native has really been stepping up lately when his number has been called upon. In his postgame press conference, Jamahl Mosley <a href="https://x.com/OrlandoMagic/status/1871393362827419827" rel="noopener">made a note</a> of da Silva’s contributions to winning.</p><p>“He’s very mature, he’s a tough kid, he’s got a high basketball IQ. He does not get rattled at all in the shots he is taking. Missed the one up top and was not afraid to take that one in the corner. I think that says a lot about him and his confidence. Even more so, and I don’t know if they get enough credit, but our coaching staff is amazing. What they did, how they work, and the time they put in with these guys is absolutely tremendous.”</p><h2><b>Orlando is quietly building one of the best cultures in the NBA</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/image-of-Magic-Tristan-Da-Silva.jpg"><figcaption>Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>What is happening in Orlando right now is remarkable. At 19-12 and fourth in the Eastern Conference, the Magic are staying afloat with Paolo Banchero missing all but five games this year and Franz Wagner being out for seven games so far. Orlando’s resilience through this stretch showcases how this franchise is trending up regardless of its injuries this season.</p><p>Tristan da Silva is a major contributor to this culture. The rookie has fit in seamlessly, starting 19 out of 26 games and averaging eight points per game. Da Silva’s scoring will continue to increase, as he has averaged more than 15 points over the past four contests.</p><p>The Magic’s strength this year has been defense. While the offense has fluctuated due to the absence of its two stars, Orlando has posted a top-three defensive rating in the league. Jamahl Mosley’s team must continue this trend to keep pace with the rest of the Eastern Conference contenders.</p><p>Overall, Orlando should be able to keep the four or five seed until its two stars return to action. The Magic currently have one of the <a href="https://www.tankathon.com/remaining_schedule_strength" rel="noopener">weaker remaining schedules</a> in the NBA and are due to get Banchero soon. The All-Star <a href="https://fansided.com/paolo-banchero-appears-close-to-returning-which-is-bad-news-for-the-rest-of-the-east" rel="noopener">is already going</a> through non-contact shooting drills in his rehab. This team will continue to climb up the Eastern Conference for the foreseeable future, and Tristan da Silva will play a massive role in that rise.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Magic’s unheralded weapon gets flowers from Jamahl Mosley after Celtics stunner

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/celtics-news-joe-mazzulla-surprising-jayson-tatum-absence');   ga('set', 'title', 'Joe Mazzulla opens up about surprising Jayson Tatum absence');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Celtics-news-Joe-Mazzulla-opens-up-about-surprising-Jayson-Tatum-absence.jpg"></figure><h1>Joe Mazzulla opens up about surprising Jayson Tatum absence</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-23T23:59:39-08:00">December 23rd, 11:59pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-24T00:00:23-08:00">December 24th, 12:00am</time><address><a>Nathan Yasis</a>Nathan Yasis is an Associate Editor for ClutchPoints, specializing in the NBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Every once in a while, the Boston Celtics stumble against underdog teams. That was the case on Monday night when they faced off against the Orlando Magic, a team missing three key players, yet still managed to defeat the Celtics 108-104. While Boston was also without Jayson Tatum, they remained the more talented squad on paper. However, the game didn’t go in their favor, and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-joe-mazzulla-blame-nba-ratings-dip-but-he-asks-key-question">head coach Joe Mazzulla</a> was candid in addressing the team’s disappointing loss.</p><h2><b>Mazzulla downplaying Jayson Tatum’s absence despite the loss</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Celtics-Joe-Mazzulla-and-Jayson-Tatum-looking-on.jpg"><figcaption>Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Joe Mazzulla <a href="https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2024/12/joe-mazzulla-explains-unexpected-jayson-tatum-scratch-in-magic-loss.html" rel="noopener">first acknowledged that</a> the Celtics remained competitive despite Jayson Tatum’s absence.</p><p>“Right before we came out for the tip off,” said the Celtics head coach. “He did what he tried to do to try to play, just wasn’t able to.”</p><p>The Celtics’ coach made it clear that he wouldn’t use Tatum’s absence as an excuse for the loss.</p><p>“None,” Mazzulla said when asked about the impact of Tatum not playing.</p><p>“We have enough. I mean, obviously you want to have one of your best players. You want to have him, but it’s not really a challenge. We did what we had to do, we got off to a good start. We just had a tough third quarter,” he continued.</p><p>Before the game, the team listed Jayson Tatum as questionable due to a non-COVID illness. Although he was expected to come off the bench, the team did not rule him out entirely. However, Tatum ended up sitting out the entire game, remaining on the bench and cheering for his teammates after being removed from the injury report.</p><h2><b>The Celtics generally faring well without Tatum</b></h2><p>Interestingly, the Celtics have shown they can still perform well without Jayson Tatum in the lineup. Last season, the team played eight games without him and won seven, with their only loss being a close 131-133 defeat to the Pacers. However, tonight was one of those rare occasions where the defending champions couldn’t overcome an underdog opponent.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-jaylen-brown-refs-postgame-rant-bulls-game">Jaylen Brown, the reigning Finals MVP</a>, stepped up in Tatum’s absence, scoring a game-high 35 points and pulling down 8 rebounds. However, his efforts weren’t enough as the rest of the team struggled to contribute. Tatum’s absence certainly played a role in the Celtics’ defeat, but the Magic’s defense deserves significant credit for their performance.</p><p>The Orlando Magic didn’t let the absence of their key offensive players affect them. Instead, they focused on defensive brilliance, suffocating the Celtics’ offense with tight coverage. The Magic’s defense had a noticeable impact, as Boston recorded a season-low 13 assists on 37 made field goals.</p><p>On the other hand, Joe Mazzulla was forced to stick with the starting lineup for extended minutes in the final quarter, playing from behind. Had Tatum been available, Mazzulla would have had the flexibility to rotate his players more.</p><p>Boston dropped to 2-1 on the season without Tatum. The star forward will have a day to recover from his illness before the Celtics face the 76ers in a nationally televised matchup on Christmas Day at TD Garden.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Joe Mazzulla opens up about surprising Jayson Tatum absence

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/celtics-vs-magic-prediction-odds-pick-12-23-2024');   ga('set', 'title', 'Celtics vs. Magic prediction, odds, pick – 12/23/2024');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Celtics-vs.-Magic-prediction-odds-pick-how-to-watch-in-season-tournament.jpg"></figure><h1>Celtics vs. Magic prediction, odds, pick – 12/23/2024</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-23T06:04:42-08:00">December 23rd, 6:04am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-23T06:04:42-08:00">December 23rd, 6:04am</time><address><a>RB Hayek</a>RB Hayek has been writing about sports for over a decade and is currently a member of ClutchPoints' Betting team. In addition, he is also a published author of thriller novels, available on Amazon. Rob went 29-31 against tge spread in November and 43-17 overall.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Betting</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Boston Celtics will battle the Orlando Magic on Monday at Amway Center. It’s a showdown in Orlando as we continue our NBA odds <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba" rel="noopener">series</a> and make a Celtics-Magic prediction and pick.</p><p>The Celtics lead the head-to-head series 75-55. Significantly, this will be the first time the Celtics and Magic face one another this season. The Celtics won two of three last season. Overall, the Celtics are 6-4 over the past 10 games against the Magic, including 3-2 in the past five games at Amway.</p><p><b><i>Here are the Celtics-Magic <a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba" rel="noopener">NBA odds</a>, courtesy of FanDuel. </i></b></p><h2><b>NBA Odds: Celtics-Magic Odds</b></h2><p>Boston Celtics: -10.5 (-110)</p><p>Moneyline: -500</p><p>Orlando Magic: +10.5 (-110)</p><p>Moneyline: +385</p><p>Over: 215 (-110)</p><p>Under: 215 (-110)</p><h2><b>How To Watch Celtics vs. Magic </b></h2><p>Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT</p><p>TV: NBCS Sports Boston and FanDuelSports Florida</p><p><i><b>*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/nba/?irad=356361&amp;irmp=492408" rel="noopener sponsored">(Get Access | Save $30)</a>*</b></i></p><h2><b>Why the Celtics Could Cover the Spread/Win</b></h2><p>Players on the Celtics keep setting records, as <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-jayson-tatum-rare-feat-not-done-since-larry-bird">Jayson Tatum joined Larry Bird</a> as the franchise player who had a 40-point, triple-double game. His efforts helped the Celtics demolish the Chicago Bulls at the United Center just days after laying an egg against the same team at the TD Garden.</p><p>The Celtics used a major second half, highlighted by Tatum’s strong effort, to pull away after leading by seven points at halftime. He finished with 43 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. Kristaps Porzingis also thrived, with 22 points while shooting 8 for 15. Jaylen Brown scored 19 points and will be another player who can help the Celtics cover the spread in this game.</p><p>What is more impressive about this win is that the Celtics won it without having a superb game at the three-point line, as they only hit 33 percent of their shots from beyond the arc. Yet, they also dominated the boards, including 17 offensive boards, which gave them multiple second chances. Their defense was classic Boston, as they held the Bulls to 37.8 percent shooting. Considering that the Magic are so injury-depleted, it will give the Celtics a bigger advantage against slightly less experienced starters than the Magic would normally have.</p><p>The Celtics will cover the spread if they can continue to shoot well and win the board battle. Then, they must defend the rim and not allow the Magic to gain any confidence.</p><h2><b>Why the Magic Could Cover the Spread/Win</b></h2><p>The bad injury luck for the Magic continued, as <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/moe-wagner-exits-heat-game-after-scary-injury">Moritz Wagner sustained a knee injury</a> and had to leave the game. It ruined what was an amazing comeback for the Magic, who rallied from a 25-point hole to stun the Miami Heat. Even with all the injuries, the Magic keep finding ways to win games. However, that might not happen if players suffer ailments and injuries. So far, the Magic have lost Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs, and now, Mo Wagner.</p><p>The starting lineup consists of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Goga Bitadze, Anthony Black, Tristan Da Silva, and Wendell Carter Jr. Meanwhile, Cole Anthony exploded on Saturday for 35 points off the bench. But when you look at the starting lineup, 80 percent of these guys started on the bench to start the season. So, how did the Magic win this game? And how are they winning games against decent teams, even with a patchwork lineup?</p><p>The Magic have habitually done decent work when shooting the rock. Additionally, they take advantage of opportunities at the charity stripe, where they went 24 for 27. Orlando also defends the rim well, as evidenced by their nine blocked shots against Miami. They also barely won the board battle, which helped them overcome a massive deficit.</p><p>Suggs may return for this game, as he was probable until the day off. The extra days off might give him a chance to suit up for this game against the Celtics.</p><p>The Magic will cover the spread if they can chase after the loose balls and also dominate the board battle. Then, they must defend the rim and prevent Tatum from dominating.</p><h2><b>Final Celtics-Magic Prediction &amp; Pick</b></h2><p>The Celtics are 11-17 against the spread, while the Magic are 17-12-1 against the odds. Moreover, the Celtics are 6-7 against the spread on the road, while the Magic are 10-2-1 against the odds at home. The Celtics are 10-14 against the spread when facing the Eastern Conference, while the Magic are 13-8 against the odds when facing the East.</p><p>The Magic have survived up to this point and still play well without their best players. However, each injury takes a toll, and Suggs and Moritz Wagner missing this game could hurt them. Banchero is nearly ready to return but won’t play in this one, and neither will Wagner. I have the Celtics covering the spread on the road.</p><p><b>Final Celtics-Magic Prediction &amp; Pick: Boston Celtics: -10.5 (-110)</b></p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Celtics vs. Magic prediction, odds, pick – 12/23/2024

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/magic-news-moe-wagner-career-year-is-over-due-to-torn-acl');   ga('set', 'title', 'Moe Wagner’s career year is over due to torn ACL');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Magic-news-Moe-Wagners-career-year-is-over-due-to-torn-ACL.jpg"></figure><h1>Moe Wagner’s career year is over due to torn ACL</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-22T11:34:50-08:00">December 22nd, 11:34am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-22T11:55:22-08:00">December 22nd, 11:55am</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Orlando Magic have been <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/magic-news-orlando-players-who-must-step-up-after-franz-wagner-injury">dealing with a lot of key injuries</a> this season, and they just suffered another one to Moe Wagner, who will be out for the <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1870912326871748928" rel="noopener">remainder of the season</a>, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.</p><p>“Orlando Magic forward Moe Wagner has suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his left knee, sources told ESPN. Wagner averaged 12.9 points and 4.9 rebounds in 18.8 minutes as a strong candidate for Sixth Man of the Year, ranking second in the NBA in total points off the bench,” Charania wrote on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>The Magic are already <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/magics-franz-wagner-out-indefinitely-after-concerning-injury">without Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero</a> for some time, and now they will have to continue to go deep in their bench throughout the season.</p><h2>Moe Wagner out for the season</h2><p>Moe Wagner suffered the ACL injury during the Magic’s recent game against the Miami Heat. He was having a strong season coming off the bench and was making himself a candidate for Sixth Man of the Year. He ranks second in the NBA in total scoring off the bench and was averaging a career-high in points, rebounds, and steals, and three-point shooting.</p><p>The Magic had been able to manage without Paolo Banchero after he was injured earlier in the season. A few weeks ago, Franz Wagner suffered an injury, and the Magic had still been able to win some games. Now, without Wagner, they’re probably hoping that they can get them back as soon as possible. They still are one of the top-five teams in the Eastern Conference, but as the season continues, they’re going to need their star players.</p><p>The Magic are known for having one of the best defenses in the league, and they’ll have to keep that mentality for the season as they try to manage all of the major injuries to their offensive players.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Moe Wagner’s career year is over due to torn ACL

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/heat-news-miami-collapse-magic-ends-796-nba-streak');   ga('set', 'title', 'Heat’s brutal collapse vs. Magic ends 796-0 NBA streak');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Heat-news-Miamis-brutal-collapse-vs.jpg"></figure><h1>Heat’s brutal collapse vs. Magic ends 796-0 NBA streak</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-21T19:24:01-08:00">December 21st, 7:24pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-21T20:02:44-08:00">December 21st, 8:02pm</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor and Washington Wizards/Mystics reporter for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Miami Heat</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Heat looked like they were on their way to an easy win when they took a 106-84 lead into the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic on Saturday night. Then, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/magic-news-how-franz-wagner-leadership-evolved-amid-paolo-banchero-injury">Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner-less Magic</a> did the unthinkable.</p><p>Orlando outscored Miami 37-8 in the fourth quarter to secure the 121-114 victory. The Magic are the first NBA team to win a game after entering the final period with a 22-point deficit in 796 contests, a streak that dated back to December 22nd, 2019.</p><p>This was a devastating collapse for the Heat, as they allowed<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/magic-news-cole-anthony-honest-admission-on-recent-struggles-jamahl-mosley-benching"> backup guard Cole Anthony</a> to drop 35 points on 13-25 shooting with eight rebounds and nine assists. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who’s averaging just 8.2 points per game, added 24 of his own. While Miami was without Jimmy Butler, there was no excuse for the collapse, as the Magic were also missing Jalen Suggs (16.2 PPG).</p><h2><b>Heat fanbase collectively melts down on social media</b></h2><p>Miami fans can’t believe what they witnessed.</p><p>“No Paolo or Franz Wagner. Heat led by 25 in the 1st half, 22 halfway through the 3rd,” @<a href="https://x.com/HeatCulture13/status/1870660568396316890" rel="noopener">HeatCulture13 tweeted in disbelief.</a> “Scored 8 points in the 4th quarter, Magic come back and win. It’s time to blow everything up. I’ve seen enough.”</p><p>“Worst Heat loss in a very long time,”<a href="https://x.com/WillManso/status/1870660373860479399" rel="noopener"> @WillManso lamented.</a> Leading by 22 points to start the 4th quarter to a depleted Magic team. Miami gets outscored 37-8 in the final quarter. Man. Brutal.”</p><p>“I KNOW I DIDNT just see the Heat get outscored 35-8 in the 4th quarter by the Paololess Franzless Magic,” <a href="https://x.com/BucksShowYo/status/1870660302477590571" rel="noopener">@BucksShowYo said</a>.</p><p>“That Miami Heat Meltdown vs the Magic tonight is a very bad look for Tyler Herro no matter how we’re gonna slice it!!” <a href="https://x.com/SportsLineNews/status/1870669447482036634" rel="noopener">@SportsLineNews said</a>. “This was his opportunity to lead with Jimmy “Buckets” on “Sick Bay”? Epic FAIL!! Thought my mind was playing tricks on me!”</p><p>Herro, Bam Adebayo, and Terry Rozier each turned in decent performances, with 22, 23, and 22 points scored, respectively. However, it wasn’t enough to stave off Orlando’s ferocious comeback.</p><p>The Heat now fall to 13-13 while the injured Magic are thriving at 18-12, just a half-game behind the New York Knicks for third place in the Eastern Conference.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Heat’s brutal collapse vs. Magic ends 796-0 NBA streak

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/moe-wagner-exits-heat-game-after-scary-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'Moe Wagner leaves game vs. Heat with knee injury');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Orlando-retains-Moe-Wagner-on-22-million-deal.jpg"></figure><h1>Moe Wagner leaves game vs. Heat with knee injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-21T17:54:54-08:00">December 21st, 5:54pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-21T17:57:13-08:00">December 21st, 5:57pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Orlando Magic are already reeling due to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/magics-franz-wagner-out-indefinitely-after-concerning-injury">major injury blows to star players Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner</a>. The Magic have gone 1-3 since Franz Wagner went down and were on the verge of being blown out by the Miami Heat on Saturday. And more bad news came for the Magic on the injury front as Moe Wagner went down <a href="https://x.com/BGreenReports/status/1870630620377829748" rel="noopener">with an apparent knee injury</a>.</p><p>Moe Wagner left the game and the <a href="https://x.com/Magic_PR/status/1870642417063641264" rel="noopener">team later announced</a> that he had suffered a left knee injury and would not return to the game. He will undergo further evaluation.</p><p>The injury to Moe Wagner occurred in late in the first quarter of the Magic’s game against the Heat and seemed to be from non-contact. Wagner was in the key looking to attempt a shot when his knee apparently gave out and he tumbled backwards onto the court.</p><p>Losing Moe to an extended period of time will be a serious blow for a Magic team that looked like they were surprise contenders in the Eastern Conference. Banchero and Franz Wagner were the Magic’s top two leading scorers this season. Moe was the Magic’s fourth-leading scorer this season behind Jalen Suggs at No. 3.</p><p>The Magic are currently 17-12 and in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings. They are 5-5 in their last ten games. With the current injuries, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/magic-news-jalen-suggs-hands-out-credit-career-night-performance">Magic are going to be relying more on Suggs</a>.</p><p>With Moe potentially out of the lineup, the Magic are going to be missing his production in a big way. To this point, Moe had appeared in a league-leading 29 games at a little over 19 minutes per game. He had helped stabilize the Magic’s second unit.</p><p>Coming into the game against the Heat, Moe was averaging 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists with splits of 56.2 percent shooting from the field, 36 percent shooting from the three-point line and 71.8 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Moe Wagner leaves game vs. Heat with knee injury

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/heat-vs-magic-prediction-odds-pick-12-21-2024');   ga('set', 'title', 'Heat vs. Magic prediction, odds, pick – 12/21/2024');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Heat-vs.-Magic-prediction-odds-pick.jpg"></figure><h1>Heat vs. Magic prediction, odds, pick – 12/21/2024</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-20T15:25:06-08:00">December 20th, 3:25pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-20T15:15:12-08:00">December 20th, 3:15pm</time><address><a>RB Hayek</a>RB Hayek has been writing about sports for over a decade and is currently a member of ClutchPoints' Betting team. In addition, he is also a published author of thriller novels, available on Amazon. Rob went 29-31 against tge spread in November and 43-17 overall.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Betting</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Miami Heat will head north to face the Orlando Magic at the Amway Center. It’s the Battle of Florida in Orlando as we continue our NBA odds <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba" rel="noopener">series</a> and make a Heat-Magic prediction and pick.</p><p>The Heat leads the head-to-head series 79-60. Recently, the Magic demolished the Heat 116-97 in Miami on October 23, 2024. The Heat are 6-4 over the past 10 games against the Magic. Yet, the Magic are 3-2 over the past five games against the Heat at Amway Center.</p><p><b><i>Here are the Heat-Magic <a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba" rel="noopener">NBA odds</a>, courtesy of FanDuel. </i></b></p><h2><b>NBA Odds: Heat-Magic Odds</b></h2><p>Miami Heat: +1 (-110)</p><p>Moneyline: +100</p><p>Orlando Magic: -1 (-110)</p><p>Moneyline: -118</p><p>Over: 209.5 (-110)</p><p>Under: 209.5 (-110)</p><h2><b>How To Watch Heat vs. Magic</b></h2><p>Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT</p><p>TV: FDSF and FDSS</p><p><i><b>*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/nba/?irad=356361&amp;irmp=492408" rel="noopener sponsored">(Get Access | Save $30)</a>*</b></i></p><h2><b>Why the Heat Could Cover the Spread/Win</b></h2><p>The Heat recently got a boost when <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/heat-news-how-nikola-jovic-plans-to-elevate-potential-after-recent-ankle-injury">Nikola Jovic returned to the lineup</a>. Having him in the lineup helps tremendously for a Miami team that is mired in trade rumors and struggling to stay above ground. Overall, the Heat will need all the players they can get as they play the second end of back-to-back games.</p><p>Tyler Herro is the first player the Heat rely on. While he has been the leading scorer for the Heat, he has had some struggles at times. Significantly, Herro chucked 17 three-point shots, making only four. Jimmy Butler continues to have good games. Amazingly, he went off last Monday for 35 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists, accomplishing a triple-double. While he has been linked to trade rumors, he continues to play well, even with the noise.</p><p>Bam Adebayo remains a stout third option. Ultimately, he did well on Monday with 15 points while shooting 6 for 12 from the floor. Terry Rozier has been inconsistent. He has had games where he only had five points (1 for 6 against the Toronto Raptors) and none (0 for 3) against the Phoenix Suns over the last few weeks.</p><p>These players represent a team that is 22nd in field-goal shooting percentage. However, when they shoot well, they usually hit three-point shots, as the Heat rank seventh from the triples. The Heat are also solid at the charity stripe, ranking 12th in free-throw shooting percentage. Also, Miami does a solid job on the boards, ranking 15th in rebounds. The Heat have done a great job at handling the rock, ranking third in turnovers. Unfortunately, that does not matter on the defensive end, as the Heat are last in the NBA in blocked shots.</p><p>The Heat will cover the spread if Herro and Butler can shoot the ball well. Then, they must defend the rim well and not let the Magic go on a run.</p><h2><b>Why the Magic Could Cover the Spread/Win</b></h2><p>The last few weeks have been difficult, as the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/magics-franz-wagner-out-indefinitely-after-concerning-injury">Magic lost Franz Wagner indefinitely</a> two weeks ago. Since then, the already short-handed Magic (Paolo Banchero is still out) have gone 1-3 over four games.</p><p>Jalen Suggs has had to shoulder the load. Unfortunately, even he is injured now, as he sustained an ankle injury in the loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. While Suggs seems to be okay, it’s something to watch. Meanwhile, Moritz Wagner has stepped in for his brother and Banchero, going off for a career-high 32 points against the New York Knicks last weekend.</p><p>These guys back a team that has struggled to shoot the rock, ranking 23rd in field-goal shooting percentage. Additionally, it gets worse when they attempt shots from long range, as the Magic are last in three-point shooting percentage. The Magic have been solid at the charity stripe, ranking 12th in free-throw shooting percentage. Yet, they have struggled on the boards, ranking 26th in rebounds. The Magic have also had some ups and downs at handling the basketball, ranking 17th in turnovers. Regardless, they make up for it on the defensive end, being the best shot-blocking team in the NBA.</p><p>The Magic will cover the spread if Wagner can convert on his shooting chances and control the game’s pace. Then, they must defend the rim well.</p><h2><b>Final Heat-Magic Prediction &amp; Pick</b></h2><p>The Heat are 11-13 against the spread, while the Magic are 16-12-1 against the odds. Moreover, the Heat are 5-7 against the spread on the road, while the Magic are 9-2-1 against the odds at home. The Heat are 2-2 against the odds when facing the Southeast Division, while the Magic are 4-0 against the spread when facing the Southeast. Furthermore, the Heat are 2-2 against the spread when they have no rest and 1-2 against the odds when they have a rest disadvantage.</p><p>The Heat have more health than the Magic right now. Despite playing on no rest, it’s difficult to not pick the Heat to cover the spread here, with the Magic missing their two best players.</p><p><b>Final Heat-Magic Prediction &amp; Pick: Heat +1 (-110)</b></p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Heat vs. Magic prediction, odds, pick – 12/21/2024

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-lakers-magic-named-possible-cj-mccollum-trade-suitors');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Lakers, Magic named possible CJ McCollum trade suitors');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Lakers-Magic-named-possible-CJ-McCollum-trade-suitors.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Lakers, Magic named possible CJ McCollum trade suitors</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-20T12:49:11-08:00">December 20th, 12:49pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-20T12:49:11-08:00">December 20th, 12:49pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/latest-jimmy-butler-zach-lavine-nba-trade-rumors-siegels-scoop">New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly exploring trade opportunities</a> for several players amid a disappointing 5-23 start to the season. With injuries to Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram derailing their campaign, the Pelicans have been receptive to trade inquiries on all players except Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones, according to NBA Insider Brett Siegel. Among the potential trade candidates, veteran guard CJ McCollum has emerged as a strong option.</p><p>McCollum, 33, is in the second year of a two-year, $63.9 million deal, earning $33.3 million this season with $30.6 million slated for 2024-25. In 15 games this season, McCollum is averaging 20.9 points, 3.9 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 43.6% from the field and 32.5% from three-point range. Known for his scoring ability, McCollum is also regarded as a solid defender, adding to his appeal for teams looking for a two-way contributor.</p><p>The Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic are two teams identified by Siegel as potential suitors for McCollum. The Lakers, with a 15-12 record, are active in trade discussions as they aim to strengthen their roster ahead of the February 6 trade deadline. They have <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-lakers-3-clear-needs-ahead-of-trade-deadline">prioritized three needs</a>: a defensive-minded center, a 3-and-D wing, and a guard with point-of-attack defensive capabilities. Although McCollum stands at 6’3” and is not a traditional defensive stopper, his ability to guard opposing guards effectively and his offensive versatility make him a logical fit alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.</p><h2><b>Lakers, Magic could emerge as top suitors for CJ McCollum ahead of trade deadline</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/CJ-McCollum-3-shoots-the-ball-while-Indiana-Pacers-center-Myles-Turner-33.jpg"><figcaption>© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>To facilitate a trade, the Lakers would likely need to part with D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura to match McCollum’s salary. Russell is in the final year of a two-year, $18.6 million contract. Hachimura, meanwhile, is on a three-year, $51 million deal, making $17 million this season and $18.2 million in its final year during the 2025-26 season. A package involving these contracts would align with McCollum’s $33.3 million salary for this season.</p><p>The Orlando Magic, currently 17-12 and fourth in the Eastern Conference, are another team to watch in the McCollum sweepstakes. With <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/magic-news-orlando-players-who-must-step-up-after-franz-wagner-injury">Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner sidelined due to torn right obliques</a>, the Magic have lost three consecutive games and struggled offensively, <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/traditional?dir=D&amp;sort=PTS" rel="noopener">ranking 28th</a> in the NBA in scoring with an average of 106.8 points per game. McCollum’s veteran leadership, defensive capabilities, and scoring would complement Orlando’s young core and address the team’s offensive struggles. Siegel suggests a potential trade package could include Cole Anthony, who is in the second year of a three-year, $39 million deal. Anthony, earning $12.9 million this season, is having a down year with averages of 5.1 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists but has shown significant upside in previous seasons.</p><p>As the trade deadline approaches, McCollum’s two-way skills and veteran experience make him a highly sought-after asset for teams like the Lakers and Magic, both of whom are eager to solidify their playoff aspirations.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Lakers, Magic named possible CJ McCollum trade suitors

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/thunder-vs-magic-predictions-odds-pick-12-19-2024');   ga('set', 'title', 'Thunder vs. Magic predictions, odds, pick – 12/19/2024');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Thunder-vs-Magic-prediction-odds-pick.jpg"></figure><h1>Thunder vs. Magic predictions, odds, pick – 12/19/2024</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-17T12:40:19-08:00">December 17th, 12:40pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-17T12:40:19-08:00">December 17th, 12:40pm</time><address><a>Cameron Zunkel</a>Cameron Zunkel is a former college athlete for the University of Illinois, Springfield. During that time, he earned his masters degree in Communication. After graduating in 2022, Cameron signed to play independent professional baseball with the Joliet Slammers, but his time was cut short due to injury. Nonetheless, his love for baseball and all sports never faded.Cameron loves the sports media and sports journalism side of things and does some light writing for a Chicago Cubs blog, as well. To go along with that, he loves sports betting and fantasy sports. He also loves digging on the research and creating content for both sports betting and fantasy sports!</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Betting</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Oklahoma City Thunder hit the road to take on the Orlando Magic Thursday night. Below we will continue with our NBA odds <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba" rel="noopener">series</a> as we hand out a Thunder-Magic prediction and pick. We will also let you know how to watch the game.</p><p><b><i>Here are the Thunder-Magic <a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba" rel="noopener">NBA odds</a>, courtesy of FanDuel. </i></b></p><h2><b>NBA Odds: Thunder-Magic Odds</b></h2><p>Oklahoma City Thunder: -6.5 (-108)</p><p>Moneyline: -260</p><p>Orlando Magic: +6.5 (-112)</p><p>Moneyline: +215</p><p>Over: 211.5 (-110)</p><p>Under: 211.5 (-110)</p><h2><b>How To Watch Thunder-Magic</b></h2><p>Time: 7:00 PM ET/4:00 PM PT</p><p>TV: TNT</p><p><i><b>*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/nba/?irad=356361&amp;irmp=492408" rel="noopener sponsored">(Get Access | Save $30)</a>*</b></i></p><h2><b>Why the Thunder Could Cover the Spread/Win</b></h2><p>The Thunder have been one of the best teams in the NBA this season. They are 20-5 in games that count towards the record, and they have won five in a row. The best part of their game, especially lately, has been their defense. Oklahoma City has allowed just 102.8 points per game in their last 10, and they have held opponents to only 42.8 percent shooting. With their ability to defend, the Thunder are easily one of the better teams in the league.</p><p>On the season, the Thunder have allowed the fewest points per game at 103.5. Along with that, Oklahoma City is holding opponents to the lowest field goal percentage in the NBA, the lowest three-point percentage, and they force the most turnovers. Orlando has not been a good scoring team this season, so the Thunder should not have any problems shutting them down. As long as Oklahoma City continues to play solid on defense, they will cover this spread.</p><p>Defense is not the only thing the Thunder excel at. They are 10th in the NBA in points per game this season. A big part of that is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/thunder-news-jalen-williams-honest-admission-playing-shai-gilgeous-alexander">Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been one of the best</a> players in the NBA this year. He is averaging 30.3 points per game, and he shoots over 50 percent from the field. Despite some of the injuries the Thunder are dealing with, SGA keeps them in every game and gives them a chance to win.</p><h2><b>Why the Magic Could Cover the Spread/Win</b></h2><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/magic-news-orlando-players-who-must-step-up-after-franz-wagner-injury">Magic have lost some of their key players</a> to injury. However, they have still played some good basketball. In fact, they have not missed a beat defensively. The Magic have allowed the same amount of points per game as the Thunder this season, which is the lowest in the NBA. Along with that, the Magic allow the least amount of shot attempts per game. If the Magic can slow down the pace, they will be able to at least cover the spread Thursday night.</p><p>Orlando will need some of their role players to step up. The biggest of which is Jalen Suggs. Suggs is averaging 18.9 points per game in December, so he is playing some decent basketball. He is coming off a tough game on Sunday, but he dropped 32 on the Milwaukee Bucks in the semi-finals of the NBA Cup. That is the type of game Suggs needs to have if the Magic want a chance to win Thursday night. If he plays well, the Magic will play well.</p><h2><b>Final Thunder-Magic Prediction &amp; Pick</b></h2><p>This could be a good game, but the Thunder are the better team in this game, especially with the injuries to the Magic. I am fully expecting Oklahoma City to take care of business. I will take them to cover the spread.</p><p><b>Final Thunder-Magic Prediction &amp; Pick: Thunder -6.5 (-108)</b></p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Thunder vs. Magic predictions, odds, pick – 12/19/2024

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/magic-news-orlando-releases-statement-on-death-of-former-player-janis-timma');   ga('set', 'title', 'Magic release statement on death of former player Janis Timma');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Magic-news-Orlando-releases-statement-on-death-of-former-player-Janis-Timma.jpg"></figure><h1>Magic release statement on death of former player Janis Timma</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-17T06:08:05-08:00">December 17th, 6:08am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-17T06:08:05-08:00">December 17th, 6:08am</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>A tragedy beset the basketball world on Monday night when news came out that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/meet-janis-timma-the-magics-tattooed-sensation-who-went-viral-at-summer-league">former Orlando Magic forward</a> Janis Timma was found dead at the entrance of a residential property in Moscow. Only 32 years of age, Timma’s death has been <a href="https://www.the-sun.com/sport/13108326/basketball-star-janis-timma-dead/" rel="noopener">preliminarily ruled as a suicide</a> by the authorities.</p><p>Timma once went viral on social media for being someone no fan could identify even though he was part of the Magic’s Summer League roster back in 2021. The Magic franchise <a href="https://x.com/Magic_PR/status/1868996405106495609" rel="noopener">sends their regards</a> to Timma’s bereaved in light of the 32-year-old forward’s sudden passing.</p><p>“We are saddened to learn of the tragic death of Janis Timma, who was a member of the Orlando’s Summer League team in 2021 and spent time with Lakeland (now Osceola) of the NBA G-League in 2021-2022. Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family and all that were close to him,” the Magic’s statement reads, per their PR account on X (formerly Twitter).</p><p>Timma was in the middle of a <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/nba-janis-timma-death-anna-sedokova-2001967" rel="noopener">difficult divorce process</a> with ex-wife Anna Sedokova, which was only finalized back on December 9. The former Magic big man died on the day of Sedokova’s birthday — with his ex-wife pleading for the media to not divulge much information regarding the nature of the 32-year-old’s death to protect her young children. (She and Timma did not have children together, but the former had given birth to three children from past relationships.)</p><p>“But now I beg you, please, I have a child, he is small, he should not know anything,” Sedokova said in a recent Instagram story.</p><h2><b>A brief summary of former Magic big man Janis Timma’s career</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Magic-forward-Janis-Timma-defends-Sam-Hauser.jpg"><figcaption>© Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The 32-year-old former Magic big man recently took his talents to Moscow to play 3×3 basketball, to much backlash from fans amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. During the 2023-24 season, Timma split his time with the Darüşşafaka Lassa of the Turkish Super League and Obradorio of Liga ABC in Spain.</p><p>In five games with the Magic’s Summer League team in 2021, Timma averaged 7.0 points and 3.4 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per game. Timma was also a fixture on the Latvia national basketball team, representing them during the 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournament where they lost to Brazil in the final, 94-69.</p><p>Timma was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies all the way back in 2013 with the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-trades-that-sent-one-player-to-multiple-teams-in-the-same-week">60th overall pick</a>, but he never played in a regular-season game. He spent the majority of his career in the EuroLeague, peaking during the 2016-17 season while playing for Zenit Saint Petersburg. During that season, he averaged 16.2 points and 4.7 rebounds on 52/44/76 shooting splits.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Magic release statement on death of former player Janis Timma

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/knicks-vs-magic-prediction-odds-pick-12-15-2024');   ga('set', 'title', 'Knicks vs. Magic prediction, odds, pick – 12/15/2024');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Knicks_vs._Magic_prediction_odds_pick_how_to_watch.webp"></figure><h1>Knicks vs. Magic prediction, odds, pick – 12/15/2024</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-14T12:56:50-08:00">December 14th, 12:56pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-14T12:56:50-08:00">December 14th, 12:56pm</time><address><a>RB Hayek</a>RB Hayek has been writing about sports for over a decade and is currently a member of ClutchPoints' Betting team. In addition, he is also a published author of thriller novels, available on Amazon. Rob went 29-31 against tge spread in November and 43-17 overall.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Betting</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York Knicks will battle the Orlando Magic on Sunday at Amway Arena. It’s a possible playoff preview as we continue our NBA odds <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba" rel="noopener">series</a> and make a Knicks-Magic prediction and pick.</p><p>The Magic lead the head-to-head series 67-64. Recently, the Magic defeated the Knicks 121-106 on December 3, 2024. The Knicks and Magic have split the last 10 games. Additionally, the Magic are 3-2 over the past five games against the Knicks at Amway.</p><p><b><i>Here are the Knicks-Magic <a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba" rel="noopener">NBA odds</a>, courtesy of FanDuel. </i></b></p><h2><b>NBA Odds: Knicks-Magic Odds</b></h2><p>New York Knicks: -5 (-110)</p><p>Moneyline: -205</p><p>Orlando Magic: +5 (-110)</p><p>Moneyline: +172</p><p>Over: 217 (-110)</p><p>Under: 217 (-110)</p><h2><b>How To Watch Knicks vs. Magic</b></h2><p>Time: 6 PM ET/3 PM PT</p><p>TV: MSG and FanDuel Sports South Florida</p><p><i><b>*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/nba/?irad=356361&amp;irmp=492408" rel="noopener sponsored">(Get Access | Save $30)</a>*</b></i></p><h2><b>Why the Knicks Could Cover the Spread/Win</b></h2><p>The Knicks are 15-10 coming into this game and have rebounded from a bad start. Yet, there are still signs of trouble. All is not well yet, and the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/knicks-biggest-issues-to-fix-after-nba-cup-flop-vs-hawks">Knicks must rebound better</a> to give themselves a better chance of winning games. Ultimately, winning the board battle all but guarantees the Knicks a greater chance of being good and beating tougher teams like the Boston Celtics.</p><p>Karl-Anthony Towns can give the Knicks the best chance for them to solve this issue. Amazingly, he comes in with 24.9 points and 13.6 rebounds per game. Towns also pulled down a season-high 19 rebounds against the Atlanta Hawks earlier this week. But someone else must help him. The Knicks are a team that is littered with numerous guards and smaller forwards with one big man who can do work.</p><p>Jalen Brunson leads those guards with 24.7 points per game while shooting 49.1 percent from the floor. Meanwhile, OG Anunoby averages 17.4 points per game while shooting 47.8 percent from the floor. Mikal Bridges averages 17 points per game while shooting 48.1 percent from the hardwood. Josh Hart is averaging 14.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.</p><p>The common ground among all these players is that none of them, sans Hart, are doing much on the boards. Whenever Towns is out of the game, it becomes apparent that no one is winning the board battle. Precious Achiuwa is a power forward and occasionally grabs some boards. Yet, even he is not enough to win these little battles inside.</p><p>The Knicks will cover the spread if Brunson, Anunoby, Bridges, and Hart can sink their shots and give the Knicks an early lead. Then, they must win the board battle and not let the Magic dictate the action.</p><h2><b>Why the Magic Could Cover the Spread/Win</b></h2><p>The Magic have dealt with injuries all season, being without Paolo Banchero. Now, it has gotten worse as <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/magics-franz-wagner-out-indefinitely-after-concerning-injury">Franz Wagner is out</a> for a few weeks with an oblique injury. The Magic are 17-10 and riding high, leading the Southeast Division by a few games. However, not having Banchero and Wagner will make it tough for the Magic to win games, with both their star players being out.</p><p>While Banchero has been working out, he is still not ready. Thus, that means that someone else must step up. Jalen Suggs is the defacto star left on the roster. Because of that, he has to take charge and lead the team. Suggs got off to a great start in doing that a few nights ago against the Milwaukee Bucks when he led the Magic with 32 points while shooting 12 for 26. If there is one criticism, it’s his shooting from the triples. Suggs went just 3 for 11 from beyond the arc.</p><p>Moritz Wagner, Franz’s brother, must also do more. So far, he has produced mixed results. Wagner averages 12.7 points per game while shooting 55.5. percent from the floor. He also had 13 points while making all six of his shots against the Bucks. We might see more of Goga Bitadze, who had 38 minutes against the Bucks. Bitadze had 12 points and 14 rebounds. Therefore, expect to see more of him. Likewise, Anthony Black will step up, as he did against the Bucks when he scored 17 points.</p><p>The Magic will cover the spread if Suggs can lead the charge and hit his shots from the three-point line. Then, the rest of the team must step up and prevent the Knicks from taking over the game.</p><h2><b>Final Knicks-Magic Prediction &amp; Pick</b></h2><p>The Knicks are 11-13-1 against the spread, while the Magic are 16-11 against the odds. Moreover, the Knicks are 5-8 against the spread on the road, while the Magic are 9-1 against the odds at home. The Knicks are 8-10-1 against the spread when facing the Eastern Conference, while the Magic are 12-7 against the odds when facing the East.</p><p>The Knicks are healthier in this game, while the Magic are battered. However, the Knicks are also underperforming. I expect the Magic to continue to play hard and find a way to cover the spread at home.</p><p><b>Final Knicks-Magic Prediction &amp; Pick: Orlando Magic +5 (-110)</b></p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Knicks vs. Magic prediction, odds, pick – 12/15/2024

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/5-cam-johnson-trade-suitors-make-most-sense');   ga('set', 'title', '5 Cam Johnson trade suitors that make most sense');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/X-Cam-Johnson-trade-suitors-that-make-most-sense.jpg"></figure><h1>5 Cam Johnson trade suitors that make most sense</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-11T12:28:03-08:00">December 11th, 12:28pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-11T12:39:46-08:00">December 11th, 12:39pm</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Brooklyn Nets are the center of trade speculation as this year’s deadline approaches. With the team exceeding expectations during a presumed tanking season, general manager Sean Marks will field offers for several players, most notably Cam Johnson.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-cam-johnson-exceeding-expectations-expanded-role-following-mikal-bridges-departure">Johnson is having the best season of his career</a> while stepping into an expanded role following Mikal Bridges’ departure. The 28-year-old has averaged 18.8 points per game on 49/43/91 shooting splits, all career-highs. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-cam-johnson-reveals-how-new-look-offense-has-led-career-best-three-point-season">He ranks third in the NBA in three-point percentage</a> among players attempting over six per game, trailing only Norman Powell and Kyrie Irving.</p><p>Johnson is under contract for the next two seasons at under 14 percent of the salary cap. He could be <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-nets-star-best-player-most-likely-traded-according-nba-gm">the NBA’s most sought-after trade target</a> at this year’s deadline.</p><p>“I was talking to a GM the other day and said who is the best player you think gets traded before the deadline? The answer that he came to after thinking about it for a little bit was Cam Johnson,” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on The Hoop Collective.</p><p>While the Nets will be active in negotiations, they’ve maintained a high asking price for Johnson. Brooklyn is seeking at least two first-round picks for the veteran wing, league sources told ClutchPoints. The team also wants to avoid taking on long-term salary in a trade, with general manager Sean Marks prioritizing financial flexibility during a rebuild.</p><p>With that, we analyze which teams could emerge as the top suitors for Cam Johnson.</p><h2>5 teams who could trade for Nets’ Cam Johnson before deadline</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Cam-Johnson_e567ad.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h2>Golden State Warriors</h2><p><b>Potential package: De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton, Gui Santos, Warriors 2025 first and Warriors 2028 first</b></p><p>The Warriors have been active in trade negotiations over the last year as they attempt to elongate Stephen Curry’s championship window. They’re <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-warriors-interested-3-nets-on-trade-market">among the teams to check in on Johnson</a>, Dorian Finney-Smith and Dennis Schroder this season, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Johnson’s elite movement shooting would offer a seamless fit alongside Curry and Draymond Green.</p><p>However, a trade for Johnson would be complicated due to the new CBA. The Warriors are hard-capped at the first apron with only $534,000 in space below it, meaning they cannot take in more salary than they send out in a trade. With the Nets unlikely to be interested in Andrew Wiggins’ long-term salary, Golden State would have to aggregate three contracts to match Johnson’s in a deal.</p><p>In this trade, the Warriors stack Melton, Payton and Santos’ salaries to reach Johnson’s $23.6 million. All three are expiring, allowing the Nets to add a significant chunk to their league-leading cap space this summer. Brooklyn also receives two first-round picks, one of which comes when Curry should be nearing the end of his career.</p><h2>Memphis Grizzlies</h2><p><b>Potential package: Marcus Smart, Grizzlies 2025 first and Grizzlies 2030 first (option to swap for less favorable of Suns and Wizards)</b></p><p>Memphis has returned to its once-promising form early this season. Led by Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant, the Grizzlies have posted a 17-8 record, the second-best in the Western Conference and the third-best in the NBA. Their early success has come despite average outside shooting, as they rank 17th in three-point percentage (35.4).</p><p>The Grizzlies could push to contend this season and next while they have Jackson Jr. on one of the league’s best-value contracts. A trade for Johnson would bolster their offense, opening more driving lanes for Morant and post-up opportunities for Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey.</p><p>Marcus Smart hasn’t made the impact Memphis expected since joining the team during the 2023 offseason. The veteran guard, who recently moved to the bench, ranks eighth on the team in minutes (21.3 per game) and scoring (9.6 points per game). He’ll enter the final year of his contract next season at $21.6 million. In this one-for-one trade, the Nets take on Smart as a salary-filler while receiving two first-round picks, the second of which includes a swap option.</p><h2>San Antonio Spurs</h2><p><b>Potential package: Harrison Barnes, Hawks 2025 first and Mavericks 2030 first</b></p><p>No one would mistake the Spurs for a contender. However, it’s safe to say they will face pressure to take a step in that direction with Victor Wembanyama in the coming years. San Antonio ranks 22nd in three-point percentage and 18th in offensive rating this season. Cam Johnson would add experience and elite floor-spacing around the team’s superstar big man.</p><p>San Antonio leads the NBA with 12 tradable first-round picks. Harrison Barnes, who the Spurs acquired this summer while helping the Sacramento Kings facilitate a DeMar DeRozan sign-and-trade, is a sizable salary that can be used as a filler in a deal. The 32-year-old will be on an expiring $19 million contract next season, opening the door for him to negotiate a buyout with Brooklyn.</p><p>This one-for-one trade allows the Nets to avoid adding long-term salary while picking up two first-round picks.</p><h2>Orlando Magic</h2><p><b>Potential package: Cole Anthony, Gary Harris, Nuggets 2025 first (Top-5 protected) and Magic 2027 first</b></p><p>Adding floor-spacing around Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner was the Magic’s priority this offseason. While they signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency, they rank dead-last in three-point percentage (30.9) this season. Despite their abysmal shooting and injuries to Banchero and Wagner, the young squad has posted a 17-10 record, the third-best in the Eastern Conference.</p><p>A trade for Johnson would add another versatile three-point sniper around the Magic’s star forward duo. His secondary shot-creation could also help Orlando stay afloat while Banchero and Wagner recover from oblique injuries.</p><p>In this deal, Brooklyn takes on Cole Anthony and Gary Harris as salary fillers. Anthony is under contract for $13 million next season before a team option in 2026-27, and Harris has a $7.5 million team option for next season. While the Nets don’t receive much in the player department, they come away with two first-round picks, including a 2025 first they could package to move up in this year’s draft.</p><h2>Oklahoma City Thunder</h2><p><b>Potential package: Aaron Wiggins, Kenrich Williams, Heat 2025 first (Top-14 protected) and Nuggets 2027 first (Top-5 protected)</b></p><p>The Thunder remain atop the Western Conference standings early this season. After last year’s second-round exit to the Dallas Mavericks, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them make an aggressive push to solidify themselves as the top threat to dethrone the Boston Celtics. It’s unclear whether Oklahoma City will be willing to add significant long-term salary to its books, with extensions for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams looming.</p><p>However, Johnson’s elite movement shooting would add another dimension to the Thunder’s offense, which ranks 19th in three-point percentage (35.0) this season. Oklahoma City has 10 tradable first-round picks and several mid-sized contracts to match salary without touching its core.</p><p>In this potential deal, the Nets get Aaron Wiggins, who is averaging 9.5 points per game on 45/39/80 shooting splits in 2024-25. The 26-year-old is under contract for $35.5 million over the next four seasons with a descending structure, a deal that should age well. Kenrich Williams, who has one year left on his contract at $7.2 million before a team option in 2026-27, is used as a salary filler.</p><p>Most importantly, the Nets get two first-rounders, including a lottery-protected 2025 pick from the Heat, which will be unprotected in 2026 if it does not convey.</p><h2>Honorable Mention: Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers</h2><p>The Lakers have been rumored as a potential trade partner with the Nets for the last two transaction cycles. However, as a first-apron team, they cannot take back more salary than they send out in a deal. Their lack of expiring mid-sized salaries beyond D’Angelo Russell, who they wouldn’t trade without acquiring another guard, complicates a trade for Cam Johnson. Further, they have only two tradable first-round picks, which general manager Rob Pelinka has held tightly up to this point.</p><p>Russell and Rui Hachimura for Johnson and Dennis Schroder is a framework that could make sense. However, the Lakers would need to part with both of their first-round picks and likely multiple seconds to pique the Nets’ interest.</p><p>The Rockets would have plenty to work with in negotiations for Johnson. They have mid-sized expiring contracts in Jeff Green and Jae’Sean Tate to match salary in a deal, as well as several young prospects. Houston holds the Western Conference’s third-best record despite ranking 26th in three-point percentage (33.0). Johnson’s elite floor spacing would significantly boost the team’s 16th-ranked offense.</p><p>However, the Rockets have frequently been rumored as a destination for stars in the coming years. With four tradable first-round picks, it’s unclear whether they would use a portion of their draft capital for a player of Johnson’s caliber. To lighten the overall number of picks they would need to send out, they could offer to relinquish their swap rights on Brooklyn’s 2027 first-round pick.</p><p>Cleveland has the NBA’s top record with a known desire to add wing shooting around its core four of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. The Cavaliers have had interest in Johnson dating back to his Phoneix Suns days, league sources told ClutchPoints. They have Caris LeVert’s $16.6 million expiring salary, which they could package with Georges Niang ($8.5 million) or Dean Wade’s ($6.2 million) contracts to reach Johnson’s number.</p><p>However, Cleveland falls short in the picks department, with only one tradable first-rounder (2031).</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Orlando
Magic NEWS

Magic News: Get the latest Orlando Magic news, scores, stats, standings, fantasy games, and more from ClutchPoints.

Latest Magic News

Magic’s unheralded weapon gets flowers from Jamahl Mosley after Celtics stunner

Joe Mazzulla opens up about surprising Jayson Tatum absence

Celtics vs. Magic prediction, odds, pick – 12/23/2024

Moe Wagner’s career year is over due to torn ACL

Heat’s brutal collapse vs. Magic ends 796-0 NBA streak

Moe Wagner leaves game vs. Heat with knee injury

Heat vs. Magic prediction, odds, pick – 12/21/2024

• NBA rumors: Lakers, Magic named possible CJ McCollum trade suitors

• Thunder vs. Magic predictions, odds, pick – 12/19/2024

• Magic release statement on death of former player Janis Timma

• Knicks vs. Magic prediction, odds, pick – 12/15/2024

• 5 Cam Johnson trade suitors that make most sense

OrlandoMagic NEWS

Magic News: Get the latest Orlando Magic news, scores, stats, standings, fantasy games, and more from ClutchPoints.

Latest Magic News

Magic’s unheralded weapon gets flowers from Jamahl Mosley after Celtics stunner

Joe Mazzulla opens up about surprising Jayson Tatum absence

Celtics vs. Magic prediction, odds, pick – 12/23/2024

Moe Wagner’s career year is over due to torn ACL

Heat’s brutal collapse vs. Magic ends 796-0 NBA streak

Moe Wagner leaves game vs. Heat with knee injury

Heat vs. Magic prediction, odds, pick – 12/21/2024

• NBA rumors: Lakers, Magic named possible CJ McCollum trade suitors

• Thunder vs. Magic predictions, odds, pick – 12/19/2024

• Magic release statement on death of former player Janis Timma

• Knicks vs. Magic prediction, odds, pick – 12/15/2024

• 5 Cam Johnson trade suitors that make most sense

Orlando
Magic NEWS