Orlando Magic at Sacramento Kings Betting Preview

Opening Line: Magic NL / Kings NL O/U NL

Time: 10:30 PM EST Tuesday January 12, 2010

This season the Kings are 12-8 at home and 20-14-2 ATS and the Magic are 11-8 on the road and 18-17-2 ATS

Tonight the struggling Sacramento Kings host the Orlando Magic. A couple weeks back the Kings were playing well and hovering around the .500 mark, even though nobody expected them to do anything this season, but in their last 10 games they are only 3-7. The Magic lead the Southeast Division by 2 games over the Atlanta Hawks and are coming off a win, but they are only 5-5 in their last 10 games.

In their last game the Kings beat the Denver Nuggets 102-100 on Saturday night and the Magic crushed the Atlanta Hawks 113-81 also on Saturday.

The main reason the Kings have already surpassed expectations this season is because their offense ranks 4th in the league averaging 103.8 ppg. However, their defense ranks 27th in the league giving up an average of 105.6 ppg.

Kings' C Spencer Hawes (10.8 ppg 5.9 rpg) has been a nice surprise this season, but he will have his hands full tonight guarding Dwight Howard (16.8 ppg 13.1 rpg), who has killed Sacramento in his career averaging 27.3 ppg and shooting 80% from the floor in 4 games against them since 2007-08.

Every player in the Kings' starting 5 is averaging in double figures this season.

The Kings will have to step on defense tonight, as they will be without leading scorer Kevin Martin (30.6 ppg), who will miss another week or so due to a wrist injury. For the Kings to have any chance in this game they will need solid performances from the rookie duo of Omri Casspi (13 ppg) and early rookie of the year favorite Tyreke Evans (20.7 ppg), who is averaging 26.3 ppg in his last 3 games.

Kings' PF Jason Thompson has to score and help on the boards tonight and his D will be sorely needed since Sacramento does not have much of an inside presence. Thomson and Hawes will have to keep Vince Carter (17.4 ppg) and Rashard Lewis (14.8 ppg) from getting easy buckets in the lane and make them beat them with outside J's.

Vince Carter missed the last game for the Magic, but he may play tonight. If he can't go J.J. Reddick (9.7 ppg) will get another start and the Kings cannot let him have open looks from deep, as he is hitting on 42.9% of his 3-point bombs this season.

Sacramento is 2-5-2 ATS in their last 9 games against teams with a winning S.U. record and 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 home games. Orlando is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games and 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games against teams in the Pacific Division.


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