---

SteemSports presents the Orlando Magic versus New York Knicks

---

Game Preview

---

The New York Knicks are continuously shutting the critics up with their quality basketball this year. Knicks are currently 5th in the Eastern Conference and are only one victory away from reaching 3rd place. It would be huge and there is no better opponent to get that victory from than Orlando Magic. This team is playing a little worse than expected pre-season, but still has a good shot at play-offs. Currently they are 12th, but only few wins could life them up to 8th or even higher, so those guys are coming to the Apple city, ready for a fight.

---

New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are currently holding an impressive 15-13 record and standing 5th in the Eastern Conference. For a first time in many years, fans can come to the game with dignity and hope and it looks like that signing Derrick Rose was a right thing to do. If we add Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis to the equation, we do have a winning team, which is ready to be a dark horse of NBA this year.

However, if offense game works like a smooth and brand new car, then defense game must be compared to 20 years old truck, which only starts half of the time... after 2 hours of trying. Yup, Knicks are playing terrible on the defensive end this season. It may be ignored during the regular season, but during the play-offs every single weakness will be used against them. And there are just too many - defensive schemes don't work just yet, Carmelo Anthony is too slow, and Derrick Rose is still holding back after all the injuries. If Knicks wants to improve, they have to start from defense.

---

Big 3 for the Knicks

This team is focused around 3 main players - Carmelo, Rose, and Porzingis. All the other guys are good role players. They know their tasks on the field and they usually produce. However, the outcome of the game is decided by the big 3.

Carmelo Anthony. He is playing his 6th season with Knicks, and this franchise currently belongs to him. This year, Anthony is averaging 23 points and 6 rebounds per game, and is the main option in the clutch time. At the age of 32, his defense is not the best anymore, he is not as rapid as he used to be, but he is still Carmelo Anthony - arguably the best ever player of team USA. Also, fans and other players adore Anthony and that is a very important thing in assuring healthy spirit in the locker room.

Derrick Rose. Former MVP of NBA had some very tough years, because of his injuries. Rose is 28 years old and we might still see him playing his best basketball, which he used to play before injuries. However, that might be too optimistic. The only thing that Knicks fans will be praying for now is a healthy Rose. Of course, we can already see situations, when Rose dives to the basket as if he never had an injury, and those moments will be more and more often, if everything is all right. As for now, he scores 17 points per game, makes 4.8 assists and gets 4 rebounds.

Kristaps Porzingis. 21 years old Latvian was not welcomed to New York with hands wide open. Fans were really disappointed to see Porzingis being drafted as a 4th pick in 2015 drafts, so poor boy had to prove himself with double energy. And he did. Today, he is one of the fans favorite, is playing quality basketball, and will be a solid candidate to play in All-Stars game. After Carmelo Anthony is gone, this franchise will belong to Porzingis.

---

Orlando Magic

Orlando Magic had some big changes during the summer. They signed a deal with Bismack Biyombo, who was a main center of Raptors during play-offs after Jonas Valanciunas got injured. Also, they signed with Serge Ibaka, who has proven to be one of the best defensive players in whole NBA during his time in Oklahoma. However, they have traded Victor Oladipo, who was one of the Magic leaders last season. Anyway, after all the speculations, trades, and money spending, fans hoped to see Magic rebuilt and producing some magic, but it looks like things are not that bright just yet. They are not playing terrible, but it is not enough.

Currently, Magic is holding 13-17 record and standing 12th in the Easter Conference. They are 5-5 during the last 10 games and all the factors show that we will see similar results during the whole 2016-2017 season. 1st round of play-offs is the roof for this team, in my humble opinion.

---

The key 3

It is probably impossible to name the leader of this Orlando Magic team, but it is safe to say that this team is mostly dependent on big guys. It is a pretty uncommon thing in nowadays NBA, where everyone is shooting three pointers and playing small-ball. However, Magic is trying to prove that classical center position is still important.

Frenchman Evan Fournier is scoring leader of Magic so far. He averages 17.7 points per game and usually takes initiative during final minutes of close games. He is the most important guard of this team and slowly evolving into a superstar.

As for big guys, Magic has a problem of having too many of them. I imagine that guys like Ibaka, Biyombo, and Vucevic only imagines themselves as starters of any NBA team. However, they have to share the time with each other, and Aaron Gordon as well. But you know what? Serge Ibaka stands out from the pack.

After leaving Oklahoma City Thunder this season, Serge Ibaka is finding out that he can actually be a leader of a team. He couldn't do it near Westbrook and Durant, but now his hands are free. Ibaka scores 15 points per game, grabs 6.6 boards, and shoots three pointers with impressive 42 percent accuracy. On top of that, Ibaka is one of the thouhest defenders in whole league and always make sure to protect the rim. Fans must be happy with what they see from Ibaka so far.

Oh yes, there is Aaron Gordon as well. He has some good stats and all, but I wanted to mention him because of his beautiful dunks. That is the reason itself to watch Magic playing. I cannot wait to see NBA all-star dunk competition this spring, and I am pretty sure that Gordon will compete once again

---

Prediction

New York Knicks will have a hard time defending against the big guys from the Magic team. They will have to play a little better defense than they did so far this season in order to win. However, I believe that Knicks are capable of doing so and is coming to this game as a favorite to win. I expect the score to be somewhere around 100 hundred and Knicks winning by 5.

---

Presenter: @writingamigo

Originally, Kasparas is from Lithuania, and that automatically means that he is crazy for basketball. He is a geek for sports as he grew up watching everything that was airing (even curling once). Nowadays, Kasparas is practicing kick-box and traveling around Central & South America. The biggest heartbreak in his life so far, was when Italy beat Lithuania in 2004 Olympic basketball semi-finals.

---

Editor: @cryptoiskey

---

Jump-Ball | Submit votes by:

December 22nd, 4:30PM/7:30PM ETPT

December 23rd, 12:30AM UTC

---

Rules | How To Play SteemSports

---