Magic vs. Rockets: 3 Big Things to Watch

The Orlando Magic continues its four-game road trip on Wednesday with a test against the Houston Rockets.

Following a loss on Monday to the Atlanta Hawks, the Orlando Magic looks to get back on track vs. the Houston Rockets. 

The loss against the Hawks snapped a six-game winning streak, and first loss in exactly two weeks for Orlando. 

Here are three things to watch in this Eastern Conference match-up...

Rookie Showdown 

The biggest storyline surrounding the Magic organization heading into last summer was who they would select with the first overall pick. 

And heading into the draft, most predictions would have guessed current Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. 

However, they instead opted for Paolo Banchero, who is currently make a case for an All Star campaign. 

In the team's last match-up on Nov. 7th, Houston may have gotten the win in the box score, but Banchero come out victorious in the No. 1 vs No. 3 duel - notching 30 points, six rebounds and four assists. 

Posting averages of 11.9 points and 7.1 rebounds through 29 games, Smith has increased that mark to 12.4 and 7.4 over the month of December. 

Stopping the Three-Point Barrage 

As mentioned before, the Rockets got the upper-hand in last month's match-up - a 135-127 victory on Orlando's homecourt. 

Offense was not hard to come by in this shootout, with the score being 71-65 at halftime. 

The difference in this game however was the three-point barrage from Houston, knocking down 24 of their 48 attempts from beyond the arc. 

Luckily for Orlando, any luck from long-range has been very hard to come by for the Rockets over the past five games - ranking dead last in the association at just 23.6 percent and only seven makes per game. 

The Markelle Fultz Effect 

Since Fultz returned back to the Magic lineup on 11 games away, the team has won over half its games on the season while posted an above .500 (6-5) mark.

Averaging 13.4 points, 6.2 assists and 4.6 rebounds over his past games, Fultz has led the offense to a tee since his return from a broken toe.

“I do think there’s a whole 'nother level to reach,” Fultz said on December 12th. “I’m gonna continue to learn my teammates and they’re gonna continue to learn me, I’m gonna continue to get my wind under me and be able to play the same pace I’m playing with all game.” 

Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. 

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You can follow Riley Sheppard on Twitter @RileyDSheppard.

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