Orlando really needs this game. The Magic have dropped two straight home games. This is the finale of their three-game homestand. After this matchup, the Magic take off to the West for consecutive road games against the Suns, Nuggets, Warriors and Trail Blazers. That's three likely losses there. So the Magic should play with lots of intensity.

The Magic are in a good spot here drawing the Knicks, who will be playing for the third time in four days and without rest following a hard-fought 118-113 home win against the Hornets Tuesday night.

The problem for the Magic is a cluster injury problem at point guard. Elfrid Payton isn't likely to play after feeling continued soreness and tightness in his strained left hamstring during Tuesday's practice. Second-string point guard D.J. Augustin already has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. That leaves reserve Shelvin Mack as the only healthy point guard available. Mack is a 39 percent shooter from the floor and not starter-caliber.

Orlando has had to play with both Payton and Augustin out the past two games. The results were a two-game average of just 85.5 points in losses to the Bulls and Celtics. This wasn't just cold shooting and good defense by the opposition. The Magic's ofense was out of rhythm. They looked nothing like the team that had put 113 or more points during their first seven games.

Not only do the Knicks carry a heavy fatigue rating, but this is their lone road matchup during a nine-game span. So the Knicks are likely to slow down the game looking to exploit 7-foot-3 inch Kristaps Porzingis' height advanatage against Aaron Gordon inside.