The Knicks keep taking alternating steps forward and backward.

Last Friday, they narrowly defeated the weak Hornets after Jalen Brunson had to shoulder a heavy load on offense.

They followed that up with a comfortable win over the weakened Pelicans, who were missing Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, among others, from their lineup.

All in all, the Knicks came around. There were a lot of inconsistent performances that made you question whether they are a real title contender.

When they face the Magic on Tuesday, they face a tough matchup against an Orlando team that ranks third in defensive rating, behind only the Thunder and Rockets

The Knicks may have a difficult time scoring against Orlando, which is still without star Paolo Banchero.

Knicks vs. Magic odds

team	Spread	Money line	In total
Curtsy	-5.5 (-110)	-230	Over 219.5 (-110)
magic	+5.5 (-110)	+190	Below 219.5 (-110)

Knicks vs. Magic prediction

The Knicks counter Orlando’s defensive prowess with the league’s No. 1 offense.

Tuesday’s matchup should be closely contested as it pits a Knick team ranked No. 6 overall in the net standings against the No. 8 Magic.

One of the reasons the Knicks are considered clear favorites on Tuesday is that the Magic are expected to suffer some regression.

Orlando ranks near the bottom of the league in turnover percentage (15.2 percent, 18th) and is 24th in effective field goal percentage (52.2 percent).

The Magic are making a lot of difficult shots as Franz Wagner has taken over without Banchero in the lineup.

Wagner averaged 25.4 points per game, 5.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists in November, which was the 10th highest usage rate in the NBA during that period.

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Betting on the NBA?

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If his shots stop falling, we’ll be in for a tough situation for the Magic offense.

And we already know that the Magic defense should consistently make things difficult for the Knicks thanks to their strong backcourt play from Jalen Suggs and Anthony Black.

PICK: Under 219.5 (-110, ESPN BET)

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Why should you trust New York Post Betting?

Erich Richter is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blue belt, but he has a black belt in MMA betting. During football season, he made huge profits in the player prop market during his final two seasons at The Post. Although he is constantly betting on distance, his return on investment since 2022 is 30.15 percent.