Preview: South Bay Lakers at Osceola Magic

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Interstat) — Two of the NBA G League’s hottest players will square off Monday when the South Bay Lakers visit the Osceola Magic at Silver Spurs Arena.

The matchup features South Bay guard R.J. Davis and Osceola forward Alex Morales, both coming off dominant performances. Davis recorded a triple-double with 30 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 125-118 win over Salt Lake City on Thursday. Morales posted 20 points and 12 rebounds in Osceola’s 110-102 victory over Westchester the same night.

Davis has been on a tear, averaging 21.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists over his last 10 games, including another triple-double on Jan. 24. His play has helped South Bay (15-13) win three of its last four.

He will need another big game against a surging Osceola (20-9) squad that has won seven of its last eight. The Magic have been led by Morales, who is averaging a double-double in that stretch at 18.0 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, including a 30-point, 12-rebound outing on Jan. 28.

The teams are on divergent trajectories in the standings. Osceola sits among the league’s elite with a .690 winning percentage, while South Bay looks to climb above .500. The Lakers have shown offensive firepower, scoring 120 or more points in six of their last ten contests, but their defense will be tested by a balanced Osceola attack.

For South Bay, support for Davis has come from Anton Watson, who had a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double Thursday, and Kobe Bufkin, who added 25 points. Osceola counters with guard Ja’Vonte Smart, who scored 27 points in the win over Westchester.

This begins a two-game road trip for South Bay before heading to Capital City. Osceola opens a brief two-game homestand before a lengthy road stretch later in February.

Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. EST Monday.