Brooklyn Nets vs. Orlando Magic Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 3/15/2022

Time: 7 p.m. ET

Venue: Amway Center, Orlando, FL

Where to watch: YES, Bally Sports Florida

DraftKings:  Nets -9.5, 231

BetMGM: Check back later

Circa: Nets -9.5, 232

Nets: 35-33

Magic: 18-51

I refuse to fully believe in the Brooklyn Nets again. A three-game winning streak will not force me to get back on the bandwagon. It will not be done. Certain things will not be had when it comes to this ridiculousness.

Oh, who am I kidding. The Nets are starting to win again, even with an inconsistent Kyrie Irving in and out of the lineup and things are just weird. And yet here we are, thinking that the Nets are back and the contending window is right back to where it is for them.

To be fair, I'm not fully thinking this through after wins over the Charlotte Hornets and New York Knicks. Perhaps the win over the Philadelphia 76ers last week is cause enough for me to think things are on the horizon and for the better.

But I can't help but sit back and wonder why it would take 53 points from Kevin Durant to just beat the Knicks by just 3 points, but it is what it is, I suppose. Andre Drummond had 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Bruce Brown finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the victory.

"He's one of the best to ever do it. So it's tough when he gets hot like that," Knicks forward RJ Barrett said about Durant. "We did hold our own. It was a close game, we had opportunities, we had chances. But especially the shot he hit with a minute left was a big shot."

That's what Durant does, as we all know, and the world is somewhat better when he's playing as well as he is. It sure as hell makes things more lively when he's scoring nearly half the team's points. Who knows if they want that to continue?

Speaking of the Philadelphia 76ers, the Orlando Magic fell victim the other night to the said Sixers, 116-114 in overtime at home that brought them a loss for the first time in three games.

The one thing you've got to like about these young teams that have no immediate upside is that they're going to try like hell and be balanced all at the same time. Take the Magic for example, who had six players in double figures led by Wendell Carter Jr.'s 23 points and 12 rebounds. Cole Anthony chipped in with 19 points and eight rebounds, as well.

"We're giving ourselves a chance in the fourth quarter," Carter said. "We're going to be in this position a lot, and we're going to win some and lose some. It's good experience."

That's the key right now for the Magic. Good experience is never a bad thing. Sure, the 18-51 record is just abysmal and no team ever wants to lose more than 50 games in a season. But to play as hard as they did against a tough opponent in Philadelphia bodes well for how the future of this team can be.

And I know we're far away from that type of expectations heaped on the Magic, but them playing competitive basketball tends to be good for the league as a whole. When we get to that point remains to be seen, but at least it's good to have that sort of thing to look forward to one of these days.

When the Nets are at full strength, they're just that much better than the competition. Whenever Ben Simmons gets to the court, one has to wonder how they'll work together. That being said, with the type of game Irving and Durant can run on these young guys, this shouldn't be too difficult of a game. Don't overthink it. Nets by 16

The Nets are 13-28 ATS as a favorite this season.

The Nets are 1-7 ATS off a win against a division rival this season.

The Magic are 72-94 ATS as an underdog the past three seasons.

PG: Kyrie Irving

SG: Seth Curry

SF: Bruce Brown

PF: Kevin Durant

C: Andre Drummond

PG: Cole Anthony

SG: Jalen Suggs

SF: Franz Wagner

PF: Wendell Carter Jr.

C: Mo Bamba

Nets: Ben Simmons (out), LaMarcus Aldridge (out), Cam Thomas (questionable)

Magic: Gary Harris (questionable), Jonathan Isaac (out), Bol Bol (out)

Points: Kevin Durant -- 29.6

Rebounds: Andre Drummond -- 8.9

Assists: Kevin Durant -- 5.9

Points: Cole Anthony -- 17.3

Rebounds: Wendell Carter Jr. -- 10.4

Assists: Cole Anthony -- 5.7