NBA Warriors @ Magic

The hot Orlando Magic (18-6 SU, 14-9-1 ATS) will try to deal the Golden State Warriors (7-17 SU, 10-14 ATS) a third straight loss when the two teams get together in NBA pro basketball sports betting action that is scheduled to take place at 10:30 PM ET at Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA.

BetOnline NBA Basketball Sports Betting Odds: ORLANDO -2, Total 221

Here are some of the NBA pro basketball sports betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* ORL has won and covered five of its last six games

* ORL has played four of its last six games UNDER the total

* ORL has covered six of its last seven road games

* ORL has won nine of its last 11 road games SU

* ORL has played 17 of its last 24 road games UNDER the total

* GS has covered four of its last 13 games

* GS has lost 11 of its last 13 games SU

* GS has played four of its last five games UNDER the total

* GS has lost four of its last six home games SU

* GS has played 11 of its last 12 home games OVER the total

Also….

* ORL has covered 12 of the last 17 meetings

* Thirteen of the last 18 meetings have gone OVER the total

* ORL has covered four of the last five meetings as the home team

* Twelve of the last 15 meetings in Oakland have gone OVER the total

* ORL has had the shooting edge in five of the last six meetings

* ORL has had the rebounding edge in six of the last eight meetings

* GS has made more three-pointers in six of the last nine meetings

The big factor here is that Dwight Howard has a sprained knee. He had a total of 14 rebounds and one blocked shot in his two previous games before sitting out Saturday’s contest with the Utah Jazz where his team shot 48% from the field. The good news was that Orlando, which used Marcin Gortat in the pivot, managed to beat the Jazz at the Energy Solutions Arena by nine points. Gortat, a seven-footer who was a second-round draft pick three years ago, has four blocked shots in the game.

A big factor in the win was their impressive outside shooting, hitting 52% from beyond the arc. There is no secret as to what the game plan has to be here – sink shots from long-range. They have stepped up things in that area, converting 64 in the last five games. The Warriors are allowing 38% from beyond the three-point line and have yielded 111.6 points a contest, which does not bode well for them here.

Golden State is hard-pressed to keep good teams under 120 points. One of the players Don Nelson counts on to help him outscore over teams – Corey Maggette – is out of this game with a hamstring injury. Monta Ellis has still not come back to the lineup and the Warriors’ pace at home, where they have played 11 of 12 over the number, is just fine with an Orlando team that has outshot this team in five of the last six meetings. The Magic certainly has the edge on defense, and ought to hold its own up front.

Pardon the pun but Stan Van Gundy’s club is a genuine road "warrior," winning six of its last seven with nine covers in the last eleven. Lay the points with Orlando, the two-point favorite in the BetOnline NBA pro basketball odds.

JAY’S PLAY: ORLANDO -2 ***

(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

(Charles Jay of http://www.ebookies.com makes his share of shots from downtown as a contributor to the BetOnline Locker Room)