The revamped Orlando Magic are in Atlanta this evening for a showdown against the division rival Hawks. The two Southeast adversaries are scheduled to tip off at 7:00pm ET at the Philips Arena. Magic vs Hawks NBA Odds have Orlando listed as a -2.5 against the spread road favorite and the Over/Under set at 187.
Orlando comes into this evening's 
divisional clash with a 16-10 record and a second place position in the Southeast standings; however, the Magic have been floundering for over two weeks now. Orlando, which trails the first place Heat by 3.5 games, has lost six of its last seven games, including two in a row to the Nuggets and 76ers.
The Magic's recent woes led to a blockbuster trade over the weekend, one that saw the team acquire Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson, Earl Clark and Hedo Turkoglu and depart with Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis, and Mickael Pietrus. Those four players will make their 2010 Magic debut tonight against the Hawks.
It may take a few games before Stan Van Gundy settles into a steady rotation, but the coach will have several options should he decide to go big or small. It is easy to envision a scenario with Arenas, Richardson, and Jameer Nelson all out on the floor, but Van Gundy could also swap Turkoglu for Arenas and have both a size and versatility advantage over most opponents.
The Hawks, like the Magic, have struggled of late, losing four of their last six, including yesterday's 89-82 road loss to the Nets. Most of Atlanta's troubles have come on the offensive end, with the team averaging a paltry 88.5 points per game in its last six outings.
Joe Johnson's return to the lineup should help, but the nine year veteran, who played for the first time since November 28th in the Hawks Friday night win over Charlotte, has yet to return to form. Johnson scored a total of 30 points in the Hawks last two games and connected on just nine of his 30 field goal attempts.
Despite its problems, Atlanta, which is 17-12 overall and a half game back of the Magic, has held up at home. The Hawks have won six in a row at Philips Arena, beating Washington, Memphis, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Indiana, and Charlotte by an average of 10.3 points per game.
NBA Odds Betting Trend: The Hawks are 8-2 against the spread (6-4 straight up) in their last 10 games as a home underdog with a total between 185 and 190.
Magic vs Hawks NBA Odds – December 20th, 2010:
Orlando Magic -2.5 (-110), Over 187 (-110)
Atlanta Hawks +2.5 (-110), Under 187 (-110)
