Magic vs. Knicks NBA Preview
New York, NY (AP) – Although the Orlando Magic have clinched a playoff berth and are in good position to secure one of the top four seeds in the Eastern Conference, the hard-to-please Stan Van Gundy is annoyed that his team doesn’t always play at a consistently high level.
The coach with high expectations can probably take solace in the fact he is not in charge of the scuffling New York Knicks.
Van Gundy’s Magic look to send the Knicks to a seventh loss in eight games Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
According to NBA odds and oddsmakers from online sports book Bodog.com have made the Magic 1.5-point spread favorites for Wednesday’s game against the Knicks. Current NBA Public Betting Information shows that 91% of more than 137 bets for this game have been placed on the Magic –1.5.
Orlando (45-26) is 3 1/2 games back of third-place Miami in the East and owns a comfortable lead over fifth-place Atlanta, but Van Gundy believes his team has lots of room for improvement.
The Magic defeated Cleveland 97-86 on Monday for a third straight victory, but Van Gundy was irritated that his club turned the ball over 20 times and failed to put away a lesser opponent earlier.
“You only play 82 games a year,” Van Gundy said. “It shouldn’t be hard to go out and play hard and well all the time. We’ve seen ebbs and flows, but I don’t have an excuse for it.”
Despite Van Gundy’s criticism, Orlando appears primed for a playoff run. The same can’t be said of New York (35-35).
The acquisition of Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups was expected to help the Knicks join the ranks of the conference’s elite, but they’re 7-9 since the trade.
New York seemed to have a good chance to break out of its funk against Boston on Monday, leading 51-37 at halftime, but experienced another second-half collapse and lost 96-86. The Celtics scored 23 of the game’s final 27 points – including the last 10.
“We just got to a point there, I thought we just panicked,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Anthony had 22 points Monday but was again not a factor down the stretch. He has totaled 11 points on 2-of-12 shooting in the fourth quarter during New York’s three-game skid.
The Knicks’ second-half defense has suffered since they acquired Anthony, as they are giving up a league-worst 53.1 points after halftime with their new star. They were 23rd in the NBA in second-half points allowed prior to the trade at 50.2.
New York allowed Orlando to put up an opponent season-high 69 points in the second half and erase an 11-point halftime deficit in a 116-110 road loss March 1.
Dwight Howard had 30 points and 16 rebounds, while Jameer Nelson scored 23 of his 26 points in the second half as the Magic won their fifth straight in the series.
Orlando struggled a bit defensively, allowing Amare Stoudemire and Billups to each score 30 and Anthony to add 25, but it buckled down late. The Magic limited the Knicks to 1-of-5 shooting while forcing two turnovers in the final three minutes.
New York has shown flashes of excellence offensively since the trade, but it’s averaging 92.0 points during the skid. The Knicks are 6-19 when they fail to reach 100.
The Magic, fifth in the league in scoring defense at 94.2 points, have held their last five opponents to double digits, allowing an average of 88.4 points.
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