Betting tips / Editor / 24 December 2011 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

Joining the Betfair contributing team, Matthew Reid previews a game where Orlando travel to Oklahoma City to open the season in what looks like a clash of teams heading in opposite directions.

While a new season generally brings with it hope and ambition for the year ahead. the Magic may wish that the lockout went on for a little longer.

Dwight Howard may still be on the Magic's roster but who knows if he wants to be there. Their off-season was underwhelming, re-signing Jason Richardson, trading their undersized starting 4 (Brandon Bass) for another (Glen Davis) and releasing Gilbert Arenas under the new amnesty clause. They have a top five player in Howard but the supporting cast is getting weaker each year and it's hard to see an improvement on last year's first round play-off exit.

In Oklahoma City, the Magic face a team on the up and with plenty of ambition for this abbreviated season. The Thunder are currently second favourites for the Western Conference (odds 3.55) and will be expected to contend again for the NBA title.

Westbrook and Durant form the highest scoring combination in the league on one end and will now have a fit Kendrick Perkins helping Serge Ibaka protect the rim at the other.

In the two meetings between these teams last year (of which Perkins played neither), Dwight Howard averaged 40 points and 16 boards. Perkins return will certainly help the Thunder attempt to lower these numbers.

The Thunder is comfortably the shortest price you will find of all the Christmas Day games presently at around the 1.30 mark.

The line is likely to be about 7, which will likely not be enough for the Magic to cover on the road in one of the league's loudest buildings.