Orlando Magic vs Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards, who just won a rare game on Wednesday, will try to win again in a row when they play the Orlando Magic at Capital One Arena.

In the nation's capital, Orlando's offense, spearheaded by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, should come to life, according to my Magic vs. Wizards predictions.

After winning 116-105 in their last meeting, the Orlando Magic have now won four straight away games. This took place at Frost Bank Center versus the San Antonio Spurs. Franz Wagner scored 24 points, Paolo Banchero scored 24, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 23.

The Washington Wizards defeated the Sacramento Kings 116-111 at Capital One Arena in their most recent matchup. Bub Carrington scored 19 points, AJ Johnson scored 19, and Jordan Poole scored 23 points.

The last time these clubs faced one other, the Magic prevailed. They defeated the Wizards 120-105 at Capital One Arena. In their last nine meetings, the Magic have defeated the Wizards. In the last ten head-to-head encounters, they have also collected nine victories.

The Orlando Magic have struggled offensively this season, ranking last in the NBA in scoring, while the Washington Wizards own the league’s worst defense. Tonight’s game will put an intriguing question to the test: What happens when a struggling offense faces a defense that can’t stop anyone?

Despite averaging just 105 points per game (the lowest in the league), Orlando has shown recent signs of life, scoring 115+ points in four of its last seven games. Over their last five road matchups, the Magic have put up 112.6 points per game, including two 115+ point performances in their last three away games.

Orlando has particularly dominated Washington this season, averaging 117 points across three meetings and hitting the 115-point mark twice. Since the 2022-23 season, the Magic have scored 115+ in nine of their 11 games against the Wizards, averaging a stellar 120.2 points—their second-highest output against any opponent in that span.

Washington’s defense has been a disaster, allowing a league-worst 120.8 points per game this season. Over their last five games, that number has ballooned to 124.4. Their defensive rating (117.9) ranks 28th, but in their last five contests, it has plummeted to 123.7.

Meanwhile, Orlando’s offense—which has a season-long offensive rating of 108.5—has shown improvement, posting a 113.5 rating over the last 10 games.

Given the Magic’s upward trend and the Wizards’ defensive woes, this matchup sets up perfectly for Orlando to have one of its highest-scoring games of the season. Expect the Magic to take full advantage and eclipse 115 points on the road.