The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder look to sweep the season series, while the Orlando Magic are hoping to avenge their loss and also hop back on the win column.

Catch the game tomorrow, March 18th, Manila time.

AWAY: Oklahoma City Thunder (53-15, 24-8 ROAD)

Projected starting five:

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
  • Lu Dort
  • Aaron Wiggins
  • Chet Holmgren
  • Jaylin Williams / Isaiah Hartenstein

The Thunder are on an eight-game winning streak, still the number one team in the league while also boasting the NBA’s far and away top net rating this season at +10.8. What’s crazy is they are not even healthy as Jalen Williams has only appeared in 26 games thus far.

OKC won the previous meeting in Oklahoma to the tune of 128-92. It was an unusual night as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a quiet night for his standards, going just 8-for-22 from the floor for 20 points, albeit posting nine assists. However, it also became a testament to the group’s fight as guys picked up the slack, with Isaiah Joe scoring 22 off the bench, Isaiah Hartenstein posting a triple-double (12 pts, 10 reb, 10 ast), and Chet Holmgren supplying a double-double (16 pts, 10 reb).

SGA will look to be more efficient, but as we’ve seen, even if he doesn’t, the ‘other guys’ have his back, which is also on top of being an elite defensive unit. 

HOME: Orlando Magic (39-28, 21-11 HOME)

Projected starting five:

  • Anthony Black
  • Tristan Da Silva
  • Desmond Bane
  • Paolo Banchero
  • Wendell Carter Jr.

The Magic just got their seven-game winning streak snapped Tuesday after bowing to the Atlanta Hawks, 124-112. They appear to be due for a loss as they allowed a triple-double from Jalen Johnson and a career-high 41 points from Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

Nevertheless, Paolo Banchero and company should come in with tons of urgency tomorrow. They not only want to get a win back from OKC and jump back in the win column, their spot in the East’s top 6 are very rocky too, and only about 1.5 games out of the play-ins.

Banchero shot 6-for-17 for 17 points in the aforementioned loss to the Thunder, while Desmond Bane was simply atrocious, chipping in a measly seven points and fouling out in under 22 minutes of play. Anthony Black, Wendell Carter Jr., and Tristan Da Silva will all be X-Factors – WCJ and Da Silva has had some serviceable performances in the said streak. We’ll see if they can pull something out of it.

Orlando is a decent defensive team, placing ninth and 10th in points allowed and defensive rating, but they’re in for a challenge.

PICKS

Spread: Thunder (-9.5)
Over/Under: Over (221.5)