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Gambling911.com has its free NBA pick for Friday January 6, 2009 and we are all over the Orlando Magic as a -6 ½ road favorite in Indiana at BetUS.com
Look at the Magic vs. Pacers game we find that - versus good offensive teams that are scoring 99 plus points per game the second half of the season, the Pacers are an abysmal 3-12.
Likewise, the Magic have won the last 5 games against the Pacers, 3 of those on the road and 3 of them blowouts. Indiana has lost their last three games.
The Orlando Magic got some devastating news earlier this week when they found out point guard Jameer Nelson might miss the rest of the season with a torn labrum, and on Thursday they made a trade to give themselves some depth at the position.
In Orlando's first game without Nelson, Anthony Johnson didn't look like he needed much help.
Coming off one of the best games of his 12-year career, Johnson will see what he can do for an encore Friday when the Magic visit the Indiana Pacers, one of his former teams.
Orlando (37-11) was rolling along atop the Southeast Division heading into February, and a 113-90 victory at Toronto on Sunday was its 10th win in 12 games.
The Pacers allowed an average of 119.0 points in home losses to New York on Saturday and Minnesota on Tuesday, but a lack of offense was the problem Thursday at Philadelphia.
Indiana shot 39.3 percent and All-Star Danny Granger went 6-of-15 in a 99-94 loss. Granger made only one shot after halftime, and blamed a nagging knee injury that he said may sideline him for Friday.
"We know that we need these games and if we keep losing, I know that I can't be taking games off," Granger said.
Granger is shooting 37.0 percent in his last 11 games. He was 4-of-14 and had 10 points in a 135-111 loss at Orlando on Jan. 27.
