NBA Basketball Betting: San Antonio Spurs vs. Orlando Magic

Will Dwight Howard fly to the rescue of the Orlando Magic when they face off against the San Antonio Spurs?" (AP Images)"]

Dwight Howard is expected to return from a knee injury tonight when the Orlando Magic open a four-game homestand against the San Antonio Spurs, who hope to bounce back from their first loss in two weeks.

Despite injuries to Howard and its top three guards, Orlando (19-6, 15-9-1 ATS) is off to its best start since the 1994-95 team opened 22-5.

Orlando's next few games could be telling for a team that is making claim to being a favorite to win the Eastern Conference crown and the NBA title.

After facing San Antonio, the Magic host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday and conclude their homestand on Christmas against New Orleans, which defeated San Antonio 90-83 on Wednesday.

The Magic have not had much success against the Spurs lately, losing three straight and 11 of the last 14 meetings. Orlando lost both matchups last season by an average of 14.0 points.

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