Magic at Suns
The Phoenix Suns look to rebound from one of their worst performances of the season when they host the struggling Orlando Magic on Sunday. Goran Dragic told reporters the Suns, “couldn’t find a rhythm,” while shooting 38.8 percent from the field while surrendering a season-high 122 points at Denver on Friday after beating the Nuggets two days earlier. The Suns will attempt to take advantage of the Magic, who have dropped four straight while averaging 86.3 points in the process.
Phoenix has lost two of its last three, though, and could be without leading scorer Isaiah Thomas (15.5) for a third consecutive game due to an ankle injury. Orlando is coming off a rough effort as well during Friday's 98-83 loss at Indiana, getting outrebounded 53-32 to begin a six-game road trip. The Suns will have to deal with center Nikola Vucevic, who leads the league with 13 double-doubles.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Orlando), FSN Arizona (Phoenix)
ABOUT THE MAGIC (6-12): Orlando must find the form that led them to a 6-4 stretch in between a pair of four-game losing streaks, and it starts on one end of the court. “We’ve got to play better defense,” Magic forward Tobias Harris told reporters. “That’s the bottom line. (Indiana) killed us on the boards from the time the game started.” Orlando is capable on the offensive end with Vucevic (18.7 points), Harris (18.3), Evan Fournier (15.5) and Victor Oladipo (13.4) leading the way, but gives up 100.6 points per game.
ABOUT THE SUNS (10-7): Phoenix is one of the most balanced offensive teams in the league with four players averaging within 1.5 points of Thomas, led by Eric Bledsoe (14.7), who has posted 62 points over his last three games. Gerald Green (14.6) is averaging 18 points over the past four contests, and Markieff Morris (14.6) and Dragic (14.0) have also contributed. The Suns are fifth in the league in scoring (105.4) and have made 161 shots from 3-point range – third most in the NBA.
BUZZER-BEATERS
1. Phoenix leads the league in free-throw shooting (82.6) with both Thomas and Green making 90 percent or better.
2. Orlando F Channing Frye is averaging just 5.6 points in his last five games after scoring in double figures the previous three contests.
3. The Suns won both meetings against the Magic last season by an average of 12 points.