Game Recap
Magic Steamroll Heat 136-115; DarkHorse Misses the Mark at +1.5
The Magic didn't just cover—they demolished. Orlando hung 136 on Miami in a 21-point rout that made our Heat +1.5 pick look like we'd read the injury report upside down. So much for Miami's "better-constructed second unit" and superior offensive efficiency. The Magic torched the nets from the opening tip, and whatever depth concerns we flagged about Vucevic, Black, and Isaac clearly didn't matter when your entire roster is hitting shots and running in transition.
Miami's 120.9 PPG profile? Irrelevant when you give up 136 at home. The rebounding edge, the assist advantage, the three-point percentage—all those prior-season metrics got shredded by an Orlando squad that looked faster, hungrier, and frankly better coached on this night. Whether it was the starters or the bench units, the Magic had answers at every rotation, turning what should've been a competitive preseason tune-up into a statement game.
We leaned on Miami's superior numbers and underestimated Orlando's ability to execute when it mattered. The market knew something we didn't, and the 1.5-point cushion evaporated before halftime. Sometimes the sharper roster just shows up. Tonight, that was Orlando—emphatically.