The struggling Orlando Magic host the Dallas Mavericks, a team that just snapped out of its worst losing streak of the season on Saturday. This game is a key game for both teams, as Orlando is battling a coaching crisis, and the Mavericks want to get a multiple game winning streak going again.
The biggest story heading into tonight is the fate of Orlando’s head coach, Jacque Vaughn. There have been rumors that if the Magic do not win on Saturday versus Dallas, Coach Vaughn will be fired. The Magic have been struggling severely of late, winning just two games in January. Although Tobias Harris has missed a few games, with the return of Aaron Gordon, the team doesn’t have any injuries holding players back now. There really isn’t a lot Vaughn can do, besides win tonight versus Dallas.
As for Dallas, the Mavericks are coming off an incredibly odd victory Friday night in Miami. After trailing by double digits in the third quarter, the Mavs went on an explosive 37-2 run to beat the Heat by 21. The bench finally had a big game, something that had been a major cause of struggle over the losing streak.
For tonight, Dirk Nowitzki must find his shot again. Since shooting 10 of 15 versus Chicago, he has shot an abysmal 21 of 58, or 36.2 percent from the field. Over his career, Nowitzki averages 22 points per game on 48.4 percent shooting versus Orlando. Hopefully for Dallas, he can come close to that number on Saturday.
A key for the Magic will be dominating the post. The Magic own one of the best big men in the NBA and arguably the best in the Eastern Conference in Nikola Vucevic. He is having a big month, averaging 22 points and 11 rebounds per game on 54.5 percent shooting and has been on a hot streak of late. He will have a tough challenge going against Tyson Chandler, but with a weak front court bench, Vucevic could have some hot stretches.