Update: Wagner is in for the Magic, making his return after missing two games. Embiid and Lowry are in for the 76ers. The line has been adjusted to 76ers -6.5 and the total comes in at 214.5. I’ll still roll with Philadelphia as the ATS pick and the over on the total.
The Orlando Magic (46-34) meet the Philadelphia 76ers (45-35) Friday evening with just one game separating the two sides in the Eastern Conference standings. The 76ers have won the season series regardless of tonight’s result but can potentially leapfrog Orlando in the standings with a third win. The Magic have lost their last two games, while the 76ers have won six in a row.
Franz Wagner is listed as questionable for Orlando and has missed the last two games. The 76ers have listed both Joel Embiid and Kyle Lowry as questionable but the big man is expected to play.
The 76ers are 7.5-point favorites according to DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at 212. Philadelphia is -298 on the moneyline while Orlando is +240.
Magic vs. 76ers, 7 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: 76ers -7.5
Orlando has the best ATS mark in the league this season at 50-30. The Magic went 24-18 ATS as underdogs this year and 15-12 ATS as road underdogs. The 76ers, conversely, are 31-18 ATS as favorites and 19-11 ATS as home favorites despite missing Embiid for a good portion of the season.
Embiid only played in one of the two matchups between these sides, but the 76ers covered this line in both games. The big man should suit up, while Wagner might still be out for the Magic. I’ll take a red-hot Sixers squad to win and cover Friday, taking an important step towards securing a playoff spot.
Over/Under: Over 212
The first meeting between these teams, which didn’t feature Embiid, went under this total. The second game went over. The Magic are 36-43-1 to the over on the season while the 76ers are 42-38 to the over. Orlando has actually gone over its totals in four of the last five games, while Philadelphia has hit the over in three of the last four and six of the last eight. With Embiid expected to play, I like the over to hit on a relatively lower number Friday.