Chicago Bulls at Orlando Magic
Friday, 1/6/12, 8:00 PM EST, TV: ESPN
Opening Point Spread: Orlando -1
Current Betting Line: Orlando -1
Opening Total: N/A
Current Total: N/A
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Chicago will be looking to extend its winning streak to four games on the road, coming off a 99-83 victory over the Detroit Pistons as 6.5-point road favorites. The Bulls are off to their best start since the 1996-97 campaign and star point guard Derrick Rose continues to play at an MVP level. He’s listed as probable for this contest after suffering an elbow injury after driving to the hoop last time out. “I’m fine,” state Rose after the game. “If I was broke, I wouldn’t be moving at all.” Chicago is 39-19 ATS on the road when facing winning home teams.
The Bulls won three of four meetings against the Magic a year ago, capturing the series for the first time since the 2005-06 season. Rose was magical in the three victories, averaging 25.0 points and 6.3 assists per game. It’s important to note that the squad outscored Orlando by just a 2.3-point margin last year. Defense is still the name of the game in the Windy City, holding six of its first seven opponents to under 100 points. During their five-game winning streak, the Bulls have outscored their opponents by an average of 16.2 points per game.
Orlando will play its second straight home game and will look to improve to 5-0 inside the Amway Center. The Magic scored a 103-85 victory over the Washington Wizards as 13-point home favorites on Wednesday night. Center Dwight Howard really got things going in the last contest, scoring a season-high 28 points and grabbing 20 rebounds. “He was having his way,” stated Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy. “Dwight, obviously, was dominant.” The franchise has won five of the last seven matchups when playing as host in this particular series. Orlando is 5-17-1 ATS versus a team with a winning record.
The Magic have registered a dominating 124-44 home record during Van Gundy’s four-plus years on the sidelines, including a 29-12 mark a year ago. Orlando’s average margin of victory at Friday night’s venue was 15.2 points per game during the 2010-11 season. One of the perceived weaknesses of the team is in the backcourt, as Jameer Nelson and Jason Richardson are both shooting less than 39 percent from the field.
Bettors will likely back the Bulls due to the underdog being 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings, while the Magic are 2-7 ATS versus the NBA’s Central division.
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