The Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors will face off tonight as part of a nine-game NBA slate.
This will mark the third and final matchup between these Eastern Conference opponents this season, and it holds some massive seeding implications. Toronto is currently in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, while Orlando is in eighth place. The two sides split their matchups to this point, and every win will matter from here on out, given how tight the Eastern Conference race is.
Looking at the odds, the Raptors enter as 2.5-point favorites and hold -130 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Magic are +110 underdogs with the game total set at O/U 224.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Sunday night matchup.
Magic vs. Raptors prediction, preview
The Magic have not exactly catapulted into the contending category the way they hoped coming into the season. They hold a 39-34 record, and can look like a vastly different team on a nightly basis. The Magic beat the Kings 121-117 in their previous game, which snapped a six-game losing streak. On the season, Orlando has gone 33-40 against the spread, and the game total has gone over in 40 of 73 games.
Franz Wagner remains sidelined with his ankle issues, and Anthony Black and Jonathan Isaac will join him tonight. Paolo Banchero headlines the production with averages of 22.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. Desmond Bane has settled into his role on the team, adding 20.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 38.9% on three-point attempts.
The Magic are scoring 115.7 points per game, which ranks 15th in the NBA. Orlando also ranks 17th in offensive rating, 20th in field goal percentage, and 25th in three-point percentage. Defensively, the Magic rank 12th opponents’ points per game, 13th in defensive rating, 22nd in opponents’ field goal percentage, and seventh in opponents’ three-point percentage.
The Raptors hold a 41-32 overall record and enter this matchup coming off a victory over the Pelicans. But, the team has lost three of its last five games. On the season, the Raptors are 37-36 against the spread, and the game total has remained under in 45 of 73 games.
Scottie Barnes sets the tone for this Raptors team, posting averages of 18.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. Brandon Ingram is their top scoring option with 21.4 points per game, along with 5.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Ingram is questionable for tonight’s game with right heel inflammation, joining RJ Barrett, Collin Murray-Boyles, and Trayce Jackson-Davis on the injury report. Immanuel Quickley will miss tonight’s game with plantar fasciitis.
Darko Rajakovic’s squad is averaging 114.0 points per game, which ranks 22nd in the NBA. The Raptors also rank 18th in offensive rating, 10th in field-goal percentage, and 23rd in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 112.3 points per game against Toronto, which ranks ninth in the NBA. The Raptors also rank ninth in defensive rating, 10th in opponent field-goal percentage and ninth in opponent three-point percentage.
Magic vs. Raptors pick, best bet
Both these teams should be looking at this as a must-win matchup. My lean would be the Raptors protecting their home court and finding a way to get a win. But, I am backing the game total to remain under and for a playoff-like atmosphere to make it feel as if every basket means a little bit more.
The game total has remained under in 45 of 73 games that the Raptors have played this season. The under is 16-8 when the Raptors are home favorites, 27-15 ATS when playing at home, and 26-14 ATS after a win. Toronto was held to just 94 points against the Clippers on Wednesday and scored just 98 against the Suns two games prior.
For the Magic, they have been held to 112 or fewer points in four of their last seven games. The game total finished at 213 in the first matchup between these two teams, before both had more offensive success in the second game.
Both teams have seen their offenses look overly clunky for stretches, and this is a problem that should show up. They each play at a sluggish pace and will be content with this being a defensive battle. Count on the lack of consistent offensive creation to be an issue that plagues both teams for stretches this year. Expect defense to be the storyline in this high-intensity Eastern Conference battle and for each team to finish around 100 points. Buckle up for a playoff-like atmosphere.
