New York @ Orlando preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 3, 2019 ) New York 100, Orlando 114

The New York Knicks earned their first victory of the season last time out at home and play four of the next five on the road, beginning with a trip to Orlando to take on the Magic on Wednesday night. New York rebounded from being routed in its home opener against Boston by pounding Chicago on the boards and getting another strong performance from rookie small forward RJ Barrett to beat visiting Chicago 105-98 on Monday.

“It was great. I was electric in there,” Barrett told reporters of the atmosphere in Madison Square Garden for his first NBA victory after recording 19 points and 15 rebounds. “Hopefully we get to have this feeling many more times.” Barrett and the Knicks will have to raise their game even higher when they meet Orlando, which returned almost all of its roster from a playoff team last season and comes home determined after suffering two close road losses at Atlanta and Toronto. The Magic won their season opener at home against Cleveland 94-85 before losing at Atlanta by four and being outscored 17-6 in the final minutes of a 104-95 setback against the Raptors on Monday. “We just got to stick to the plan,” Orlando forward Jonathan Isaac told reporters after pouring in a career-high 24 points at Toronto. “Guys haven’t shot the ball great. I hit some shots tonight but I haven’t shot the ball great. All of us, we just need to step up, make open shots and continue to trust the offense and we’ll be ok.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FS Florida (Orlando)

ABOUT THE KNICKS (1-3): Power forward Bobby Portis finished with 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting and 11 rebounds in a season-best performance Monday after scoring just 18 combined in his first three games with the club. “I just have fun. I love playing the game,” Portis told reporters after the win. “I feel like I wasn’t myself the first couple games and I didn’t bring the energy, so I had to get back to being who I am.” Barrett, the third overall pick in last June’s draft, is averaging a team-high 20.5 points on 50 percent shooting from the field while grabbing 7.5 rebounds and recording 2.0 steals per contest.

ABOUT THE MAGIC (1-2): Orlando entered Tuesday last in the league in field-goal percentage (38.7) and perhaps no one has contributed to that figure more than talented forward Aaron Gordon, who is just 7-for-24 from the floor. Gordon averaged 16 points last season, but managed just 21 combined in the first three games and just one player on the team is scoring more than 14 per contest - guard Evan Fournier (19.0). Center Nikola Vucevic (14.0 points, 10.7 rebounds) was just 1-for-13 from the field at Toronto, but newcomer Markelle Fultz continued his comeback as the point guard had a season-high 13 points Monday.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. New York PG Dennis Smith Jr. has been away from the team due to a death in his family and PG Elfrid Payton (hamstring) is expected to miss Wednesday’s game.

2. Isaac was 7-for-10 from the field and 5-for-7 from 3-point range Monday after going 4-for-13 and 0-for-4, respectively, combined in the first two games.

3. New York F Julius Randle has double-doubles in all four games, the longest streak to start a career with the club since Zach Randolph (seven) in 2007-08.

PREDICTION: Magic 112, Knicks 103