Oklahoma Thunder @ Orlando Magic ESPN Friday Night NBA Pick

Oklahoma Thunder @ Orlando Magic ESPN Friday Night NBA Pick: The Magic didn’t do anything crazy at the trade deadline, but shoot, they had already been the trade kings of the first 50 games of the season, shipping off Rashard Lewis, Marcin Gortat, and Vince Carter’s shadow while bringing in Jason Richardson, Gilbert Arenas, and Hedo Turkoglu. So far, they’ve had their ups and downs, that’s for sure, smacking around some of the league’s best then losing to some of the league’s worst. I’m still not sure how their roster will play out, but I’d be worried about the rest of the East passing them up, soon.

The Thunder are looking to rebound after falling to San Antonio on Wednesday Night while the Magic are coming off a 105-111 loss to the Sacramento Kings (who were without Tyreke Evans, their best player) in Orlando on Wednesday Night.

I don’t know if Dwight Howard can be matched athletically, or properly guarded, but if he can, Serge Ibaka has the kind of athleticism that could give Dwight trouble. I know the Magic will have a tough time staying in front of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. This one will be a shootout in Orlando.
I think Oklahoma has more upside, but right now, without the guy they traded for (Kendrick Perkins) and without their starting power forward who they traded (Jeff Green), they’ll be a little undermanned, and I think Dwight and Brandon Bass will cause too much havoc down low, giving them the advantage on Friday Night. 7 points seems like an awful lot, but I have to take the home team in a tough game to pick.

Oklahoma Thunder @ Orlando Magic (-7) (ESPN) (2/25)