Toronto Raptors at Orlando Magic Pro Basketball Handicapping Preview

Toronto Raptors at Orlando Magic
Friday, 1/21/11, 7:00 PM EDT
Opening Point Spread: Orlando -11.5
Current Betting Line: Orlando -12
Opening Total: 205
Current Total: 206.5

The Orlando Magic are double-digit home favorites in hosting the Toronto Raptors Friday night

Toronto continues a five-game road trip Friday night against the Orlando Magic at the new Amway Center. The Raptors current trip ties their longest of the season and it will finish tomorrow night in Miami. The team is coming off a disappointing 104-95 loss to Western Conference-leading San Antonio last time out, a game that saw them leading at the break by 11 points. “It’s definitely frustrating,” said DeMar DeRozan. “We were beating up one of the best teams in the NBA, but we got to hold the lead. It’s definitely frustrating.” Toronto will look to pick up a second victory in the series tonight after winning the first meeting, 110-106, in Orlando on November 12 behind a game-high 27 points from Andrea Bargnani. The squad is 12-8 ATS on the road and currently a double-digit underdog on the NBA lines page.

The Raptors may find it difficult to pull off another victory against the Magic due to Bargnani combining to connect on 10 of 37 shots from the field in the last two games. He had averaged 28.0 points and shot 51.7 percent in the four games prior. “It feels bad and I’m upset for the team, because if I’m playing the last two games like I played the previous 39,40 games, we’d definitely have a better chance to win,” he commented. “That’s the only thing I feel bad about.” DeRozan may be leaned upon to pick up the slack, as he leads all sophomore players in the league in scoring this month by averaging 18.8 points per game, including a game-high 28 points versus the Spurs.

Orlando is looking to capture its eighth consecutive home victory tonight and just recently concluded a 2-3 road trip on Monday with a 109-106 loss to Boston. The Magic bounced back from the losing trip with a dramatic 99-98 Wednesday win against Philadelphia at home. “The season is long and there will be periods when we have down games, and a stretch when we go on a win streak,” said guard J.J. Redick. “You can’t pinpoint once game, but hopefully this will start another win streak.” The team is 16-5 overall at home, including a 10-3 mark against Eastern Conference opponents. Orlando is 10-10 ATS when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

The Magic are 30-25 all-time against the Raptors during regular season action and captured a 3-1 series advantage last year. Orlando has won seven of the last 12 regular season meetings. The team has an average margin of victory at the Amway Center of 14.9 points per game and is 107-37 under Stan Van Gundy when playing on its home court since his arrival on the sidelines.

Bettors may elect to back the Raptors due to the road team being 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings, while the Magic are 1-4 ATS as a favorite of 11 points or more.