TV: FOX Sports Florida TIME: Pregame coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. STREAM IT LIVE ON THE FOX SPORTS APP Minnesota Timberwolves (25-28, 11th in the Western Conference) vs. Orlando Magic (22-32, 11th in the Eastern Conference) BOTTOM LINE The Magic have gone 14-15 at the Amway Center. Orlando is last in the Eastern Conference scoring 42.3 points in the paint per game. The Timberwolves are 8-18 in road games. Minnesota is 5-5 in games decided by less than four points. In their last meeting on Jan. 4, the Timberwolves won 120-103. Karl-Anthony Towns scored a team-high 29 points for Minnesota in the victory. TOP PERFORMERS Nikola Vucevic leads the Magic with 20.6 points and averages 11.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Terrence Ross has scored 16.4 points and collected four rebounds while shooting 41.3 percent over the last 10 games for Orlando. Towns leads the Timberwolves with 22.8 points and averages 12.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists. Andrew Wiggins has scored 16.9 points and totaled 6.1 rebounds while shooting 36.2 percent over the last 10 games for Minnesota. LAST 10 GAMES Timberwolves: 4-6, averaging 109.8 points, 46.3 rebounds, 23.5 assists, 7.2 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 43.4 percent from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.8 points on 47.3 percent shooting. Magic: 3-7, averaging 109.2 points, 46.6 rebounds, 25.8 assists, 7.1 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 45.6 percent from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.7 points on 47.1 percent shooting. Magic Injuries: Mo Bamba: out (left tibia fracture), Timofey Mozgov: out (knee), Jonathon Simmons: day to day (abdominal strain). Timberwolves Injuries: Robert Covington: out (ankle), Tyus Jones: out (left ankle sprain), Jeff Teague: day to day (left foot soreness), Derrick Rose: out (ankle).<doc-sep>MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 4: Taj Gibson #67 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots the ball against the Orlando Magic on January 4, 2019 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) The Orlando Magic will deal with the aftermath of the trade deadline and the deals that were and were not made as they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota Timberwolves (25-28) vs. Orlando Magic (22-32) Time/TV: 7 p.m./FOX Sports Florida WATCH MAGIC-TIMBERWOLVES ON FUBO TV Line: Magic by 2 Tickets: $17-$333 on Vivid Seats 2019 Season Series: Timberwolves 120, Magic 103 in Minneapolis on Jan. 4; Tonight in Orlando Pace Off. Rtg. Def. Rtg. eFG% O.Reb.% TO% FTR Minnesota 100.7 109.7 109.8 50.3 30.2 13.1 27.3 Orlando 98.7 105.4 108.7 50.9 24.9 13.9 21.5 1) The Orlando Magic are keeping their attention on the Playoffs no matter what happens at the trade deadline, Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel writes. 2) Josh Robbins of The Athletic warns Orlando Magic fans wanting to trade Nikola Vucevic to be careful what they wish for. 3) For the Orlando Magic to make a Playoff run, they know they must find consistency, Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel writes. But they are confident they can make a run. 4) The Minnesota Timberwolves are facing more and more injuries, but Ryan Saunders is showing he is worthy of taking on the head coaching job full time, Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes. 5) Ahead of the trade deadline, I ranked the Orlando Magic’s trade assets for the deadline and beyond. 6) Terrence Ross is focusing on his job with the Orlando Magic as the trade noise around him increases, Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel writes. Ross is keeping his focus on the game and not the trade deadline, John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com writes. The Magic know how much value Ross has for the team on the court and beyond. 7) A weak 2020 free agent class could be driving a lot of the activity we are seeing at the trade deadline this year, Danny Leroux of The Athletic writes. 8) Britt Robson of The Athletic explains why the Minnesota Timberwolves need to get Dario Saric into the starting lineup. 9) Khem Birch is a worthy replacement for Mohamed Bamba as Bamba sits out with a stress fracture in his left tibia, Jean Racine writes. 10) Mohamed Bamba is likely to miss the rest of the season for the Orlando Magic, but luckily a surgeon tells Josh Robbins of The Athletic it is not usually a recurring injury. 11) Luke Duffy of Hoops Habit looks at three silver linings to Mohamed Bamba’s injury. 12) Jonathan Isaac is starting to gain more confidence and grow into himself as he deserves more trust from the Orlando Magic. 13) Josh Clement of Canis Hoopus says it is time for the Minnesota Timberwolves to trade Andrew Wiggins. 14) Where do the Orlando Magic stand at the trade deadline? I tried to break it down on a recent episode of Locked On Magic. 15) Spencer Henderson breaks down how the Orlando Magic could benefit from being the third team in a bigger deal. 16) The Minnesota Timberwolves are looking to trade Gorgui Dieng and Jeff Teague ahead of the trade deadline, Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes. 17) Orlando Magic two-way player Amile Jefferson is showing incredible growth for the Lakeland Magic this year, Josh Cohen of OrlandoMagic.com writes. 18) The Lakeland Magic are the hottest team in the G-League, winning nine of their last 11 games and rising to second place in the Eastern Conference, Josh Cohen of OrlandoMagic.com writes.<doc-sep>The Orlando Magic have decisions to make at every spot with lots of versatility on the roster. (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) Orlando Magic excited to bring in Markelle Fultz, but willing to wait for him by Philip Rossman-Reich The Orlando Magic felt the ease of pressure releasing after the trade deadline and put on a spirited performance to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota Timberwolves 112 Orlando Magic 122 The weight of the trade deadline was off the Orlando Magic. The team had made their big move to acquire Markelle Fultz earlier in the day — it was not officially announced until midway through the second quarter. But the team facing many decisions had apparently largely decided that this would be the group it would ride with as they try to break a six-year Playoff drought. As Evan Fournier said a few weeks back, they know this is it for them. They need some tangible success to justify their continued presence with the team. And maybe a lot of those big decisions for the Magic are still to be determined and still up for grabs. But those are concerns for July. This is about the now. This is about the team finding a way to scratch out wins and make good on those Playoff hopes and dreams. In an 122-112 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Amway Center on Thursday, the Orlando Magic played with the kind of competitive spirit and freedom they know they can when they are at their best. They were playing like that weight was lifted off the shoulders. This is their team and this is their opportunity. It was not a perfect performance by any means. The Magic’s defense left a lot to be desired. Even good defensive possessions gave way to offensive rebounds and the Magic were sometimes sloppy. That was not enough to overcome an offensive effort that was perhaps the Magic’s best of the entire season. They shot 54.2 percent and scored a season-high 71 points in the first half (shooting 65.2 percent in the first half). Their 122 points were the third most they have scored this season — tying their last effort against the Oklahoma City Thunder from Tuesday. Orlando did a good job attacking the paint off the dribble, creating passing lanes to hit 3-pointers (11 for 25) or finish at the rim. The Magic had 46 points in the paint and 23 assists on 45 field goals. There was not a lot of resistance coming from Minnesota as Orlando put them on the back foot and kept attacking and attacking. That was the exact mindset the team needed. With an active and energetic — if not sometimes imprecise — defense, that was enough to get the job done. Steve Clifford said recently that whenever the Orlando Magic have a really strong offensive game, you can usually count on Terrence Ross having a big part of that. He is vital to the team keeping momentum through its bench units and he typically delivers in a big way. When Terrence Ross is on a roll, there are few teams who can stop him. So this was another ho-hum 32-point game for Ross, the second-most he has ever scored in a game, that continues a startlingly fun run of play for the potential Sixth Man of the Year. Ross hit 13 of 23 shots and 6 of 13 3-pointers to charge that effort. He has scored fewer than 15 points just once in his last seven games. Ross is on a roll. But his biggest play of the night came in the fourth quarter with the Magic up just seven and two minutes to go. The Minnesota Timberwolves were making their last push to steal the game when Andrew Wiggins stole the ball from Evan Fournier at midcourt. He had a clear lane to the basket when Ross was able to chase him down and at least change the shot for a block. Those are the winning plays the Magic miss far too often. " > TERRENCE ROSS G/F, Orlando Magic A+ Coach Steve Clifford said recently that whenever the Orlando Magic have a really strong offensive game, you can usually count on Terrence Ross having a big part of that. He is vital to the team keeping momentum through its bench units and he typically delivers in a big way. When Terrence Ross is on a roll, there are few teams who can stop him. So this was another ho-hum 32-point game for Ross, the second-most he has ever scored in a game, that continues a startlingly fun run of play for the potential Sixth Man of the Year. Ross hit 13 of 23 shots and 6 of 13 3-pointers to charge that effort. He has scored fewer than 15 points just once in his last seven games. Ross is on a roll. But his biggest play of the night came in the fourth quarter with the Magic up just seven and two minutes to go. The Minnesota Timberwolves were making their last push to steal the game when Andrew Wiggins stole the ball from Evan Fournier at midcourt. He had a clear lane to the basket when Ross was able to chase him down and at least change the shot for a block. Those are the winning plays the Magic miss far too often. " > He did not make too many mistakes, especially in the first half. He did slow down some by the second half. But it was an encouraging game from Fournier overall. EVAN FOURNIER G/F, Orlando Magic B+ Evan Fournier is cautiously coming out of his slump. Cautiously. The Orlando Magic are getting him shots in better spots now and working him off the ball much more successfully. He is not trying to force offense much more now. And that is a good thing for the Magic. Ball movement is the key to any part of their success. Fournier finished with 18 points on 8 for 13 shooting. He did a good job attacking closeouts and getting into the mid-range and lane for easy shots.<doc-sep>The Minnesota Timberwolves were effectively blown-out by the Orlando Magic on Thursday night, dropping the Wolves even further out of the playoff race. Minnesota Timberwolves 112 Orlando Magic 122 The Minnesota Timberwolves are running out of time. After standing pat at Thursday’s trade deadline, the Wolves turned in an uninspired effort in the land of the Magic Kingdom, trailing by 13 points at halftime and 20 midway through the third quarter before ultimately falling by 10 points. Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Okogie were the only Timberwolves players who appeared to be ready to play in this one. Jeff Teague was upgraded to questionable before the game but ultimately did not play, and to make matters worse, the lone remaining point guard on the roster with a guaranteed contract injured his toe. The Wolves played a solid first quarter and stayed close for most of the second before the Magic became red hot, riding a 3-point heater from Terrance Ross that surfaced again in the fourth quarter as Orlando put the game away. Minnesota’s defense wasn’t all that bad early in the game and the initial double-digit lead was spurred on largely by some impressive shooting from the Magic. The second half, however, featured worsening defense and, outside of Towns, inconsistent offense. It was another night that Towns was practically ignored by the officials on offense (he attempted just one free throw in 36 minutes despite attempting 16 field goals), and while he generally did an okay job keeping his emotions in check on the other side of the court, he was still called for three personal fouls and one technical. Ryan Saunders waved the white flag with the Wolves down 12 points and just under two minutes left. With a game on Friday night in New Orleans, it was the right move. After all, the Wolves are running out of time. KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS Center, Minnesota Timberwolves A Karl-Anthony Towns was fantastic once again, putting up 27 points on an ultra-efficient 12-of-16 shooting, plus 11 rebounds and five assists. He was okay on defense, as it took Nikola Vucevic 16 shots to get 21 points ( Taj Gibson guarded Vucevic a fair amount as well), and extremely impressive distributing the ball on offense. Towns probably should have had eight or nine assists, but missed layups and open jumpers plagued the Wolves once again. Nikola Vucevic 16 shots to get 21 points ( Taj Gibson guarded Vucevic a fair amount as well), and extremely impressive distributing the ball on offense. Towns probably should have had eight or nine assists, but missed layups and open jumpers plagued the Wolves once again." > ANDREW WIGGINS Guard/Forward, Minnesota Timberwolves B- Andrew Wiggins had a horrendous night shooting the ball, making just 10-of-28 shots from the field for 23 points, including 0-for-2 from beyond the arc and 3-for-5 from the free throw line. While he had a very un-Wiggins-like nine rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks, he missed far too many shots both early and late, including a dunk attempt that was blocked from behind that could have brought the Wolves within seven points in the final two minutes. Andrew Wiggins had a horrendous night shooting the ball, making just 10-of-28 shots from the field for 23 points, including 0-for-2 from beyond the arc and 3-for-5 from the free throw line. While he had a very un-Wiggins-like nine rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks, he missed far too many shots both early and late, including a dunk attempt that was blocked from behind that could have brought the Wolves within seven points in the final two minutes." > JERRYD BAYLESS Point Guard, Minnesota Timberwolves C Jerryd Bayless had a bad night, shooting 0-of-6 from the floor with three assists and one turnover in 27 minutes. He hardly played in the second half and reportedly left the game with a sore toe. That means that the Wolves’ top four point guards are all hurt, and Isaiah Canaan , whose 10-day deal expires this weekend, is the only point guard with the team. Jerryd Bayless had a bad night, shooting 0-of-6 from the floor with three assists and one turnover in 27 minutes. He hardly played in the second half and reportedly left the game with a sore toe. That means that the Wolves’ top four point guards are all hurt, and Isaiah Canaan , whose 10-day deal expires this weekend, is the only point guard with the team." > JOSH OKOGIE Guard/Forward, Minnesota Timberwolves A- Josh Okogie had a great game, shooting 6-of-12 from the floor and tallying 13 points, four rebounds, three steals, and one assist in 29 minutes. He had a couple of impressive steals and buckets in the open floor and was active on both sides of the ball. This is the type of game that Okogie needs to bring the table on a nightly basis, and if he does that, he’ll be a legitimate starter in this league. TAJ GIBSON Power Forward, Minnesota Timberwolves C Taj Gibson continued his string of underwhelming games, posting 10 points on six shots and pulling down four rebounds. He committed some bad fouls, missed a couple of easy shots in the paint, and played uncharacteristically poor defense. Is it safe to say that someone misses Thibs? DARIO SARIC Power Forward, Minnesota Timberwolves A- Dario Saric had his second consecutive solid game, notching 17 points and eight rebounds in only 21 minutes. He shot 7-of-11 from the floor and 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, although his five personal fouls limited him somewhat. If the trend of Saric outplaying Gibson continues much longer, don’t be shocked to see their roles flipped. Or, at the very least, Saric playing more minutes off the bench than Gibson from the starting role. Dario Saric had his second consecutive solid game, notching 17 points and eight rebounds in only 21 minutes. He shot 7-of-11 from the floor and 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, although his five personal fouls limited him somewhat. If the trend of Saric outplaying Gibson continues much longer, don’t be shocked to see their roles flipped.<doc-sep>
Timberwolves vs. Magic Prediction Will the Orlando Magic be able to add to the road woes of the Minnesota Timberwolves when the two meet up tonight at 7PM ET? Game Snapshot & Odds 573 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. 574 Orlando Magic Thursday, February 7, 2019 7PM ET – Amway Center Compare odds and from multiple different online sportsbooks and shop for the best lines at our new NBA Odds & Betting Page. Public Betting Trends According to oddsmakers at BetNow.eu, the Magic are the slight favorite at home, as they are getting odds of -2.5 points against the Timberwolves. The over/under total for the contest is listed at 217.5 points. The public betting for this game currently is unavailable. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our NBA Public Betting Page for updated figures on the game. Timberwolves failing to cover Minnesota is coming off a 108-106 loss at Memphis on Wednesday for its fourth loss in five games. The Timberwolves have failed to cover the spread in four straight games as well. Minnesota is now 25-28 on the season, 8-18 on the road, 26-27 against the spread and 27-26 with the over. The Timberwolves rank 17th in the NBA in both scoring and total defense, as they score 111.3 points per game while giving up 111.2 per contest. They really struggle to defend the arc, allowing opponents to shoot 36.8 percent. Injuries have started to pile up as Robert Covington, Tyus Jones and Derrick Rose are all out tonight while Jeff Teague is doubtful. Karl-Anthony Towns has been leading the team this season with 22.8 points and 12.2 rebounds per contest. Magic seek home win streak Orlando is coming off a 132-122 loss at Oklahoma City, but the Magic have won their last two games at home. The Magic are now 22-32 on the season, 12-15 at home, 27-26-1 against the spread and 30-24 with the under. The Magic are respectable on defense, allowing 107.9 points per game while the offense is putting up just 104.6 points per game and shooting 44.7 percent. The Magic are without Mo Bamba, who is dealing with a leg injury. Jonathon Simmons is questionable to play due to an ab injury. Nikola Vucevic is leading the team with 20.6 points and 11.9 rebounds per game while Aaron Gordon is adding 15.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per contest. NBA Betting Trends Minnesota The Timberwolves are 0-5 against the spread in their last five games following a loss, but 5-2 ATS in their last seven games playing on 1 day of rest. Orlando The Magic are 2-8 against the spread in their last 10 games against Western Conference opponents and 0-4 ATS in their last four against Southwest division opponents. Prediction: The Timberwolves own a 120-103 win over the Magic already this season at home. I don’t think Orlando matches up well with Minnesota. The Timberwolves can score, but struggle to defend, especially on the arc. Orlando isn’t an offensive team and the Magic definitely are not a great 3-point shooting team. The strengths of the Magic are inside and Minnesota has Towns to deal with them. I think Minnesota will come away with the cover tonight. NBA Prediction: Minnesota Timberwolves +2.5