OKC Thunder vs. Orlando Magic, 2019-20 team preview

Contract Situation by category:

Guaranteed: DJ Augustin, Khem Birch, Michael Carter-Williams, Markelle Fultz, Evan Fournier,
Melvin Frazier Jr., Terrence Ross, Aaron Gordon, Jonathan Isaac, Wesley Iwundu, Mo Bamba,
Nikola Vucevic, Al-Farouq Aminu

Non/Partial Guaranteed: None

Two-Way Contracts: Josh Magette | Amile Jefferson

Unsigned or on Exhibit 10: DaQuan Jeffries, Vic Law, Isaac Humphries, B.J. Johnson, Jon Davis

Unsigned 2019 Picks: Chuma Okeke

Thunder performance vs. Magic in 2018-19

Despite the Magic feasting on teams and posting the best post All-Star defense, the Thunder were one of the few teams to best them and subsequently swept the season series.

January 29, 2018, OKC Thunder at Orlando Magic, Win:  126 – 117
Paul George 37 points, Nikola Vucevic 27 points

February 5, 2018, OKC Thunder versus Orlando Magic, Win: 132 – 122
Paul George 39 points, Terrence Ross 26 points

Magic Games versus OKC Thunder in 2019-20:

Away Game: Wednesday, January 22, 2020, at 7:00 p.m. EST Tue,

Home Game: Tuesday, November 5, 2019, at 8:00 p.m. EST

Marquee matchup: Nikola Vucevic vs. Steven Adams

What to expect in the two matches versus Magic this season:

More from Thunderous Intentions

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• 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
• Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
• Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder

Given all the length of the Magic, it does give them mismatches versus many squads. The Thunder are one of the few teams who can match up in that regard. Adams can align with Vucevic, Gallo with Isaac, Roberson with Gordon and the Thunder backcourt of CP3 and SGA have a decided advantage over Augustin and Fournier.

Presuming the Magic pick up where they left off last season they should have one of the better defenses in the NBA. They were adept at perimeter defense and had the size to protect the rim. During the playoffs, they vacillated between being able to stop the Raptors in transition. Clifford will engage them to be solid in all three areas.

As for the offense, while the Magic demonstrated the capacity to be among the league leaders there were huge shifts by month. The team has several players who can hit with efficiency from behind the arc. Seven players shot over 34.9 percent (five over 36.4 percent). The fear for the Magic will be whether Vucevic and Ross maintain their efficiency now that they are locked in for the foreseeable future.

Both games come in the first half of the season which means the OKC Thunder will hopefully still have Chris Paul and Danilo Gallinari as part of the team.

Assuming Clifford continues to keep getting the Magic to improve this will be a difficult matchup so getting a split on the season series would be a successful goal.