The NBA summer league is in full swing out in Las Vegas. Tipping off as part of today’s loaded slate, the Orlando Magic will face the Portland Trail Blazers with tip-off scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.
DraftKings Sportsbook is offering odds for all the summer league matchups, including some player prop and team prop options depending on your location.
The Magic enter as 4.5-point favorites and hold -185 odds of winning outright on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Trail Blazers hold +154 odds of winning outright, with the game total set at 175.5 points.
Magic vs. Trail Blazers preview, prediction
The Orlando Magic are off to a 1-1 start to the summer league. They suffered an 86-74 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday, before beating the Heat 93-88 yesterday. Orlando will be at a rest disadvantage for this matchup, as the Trail Blazers last played on Friday in their lone summer league matchup thus far.
Noah Penda headlines the production for Orlando, averaging 17.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, and 2.0 steals across the first two games. Jase Richardson is averaging 15.0 points, 5.0 assists, and 4.5 rebounds, while Lester Quinones is the lone other player to average in double figures with 12.5 points. Colin Castleton, Phillip Wheeler, and TyTy Washington have had some nice flashes, while Keon Johnson and Johnell Davis are also names to note.
Relative to summer league expectations, this is one of the more experienced rosters in Las Vegas. Players like Noah Penda, Jase Richardson, Lester Quinones, Colin Castleton, TyTy Washington, and Keon Johnson all have at least some level of NBA experience. Penda’s defensive impact has been eye-popping, and the team has been committed on this side of the floor throughout.
The Portland Trail Blazers have just one game of summer league action under their belt. Portland fell in a narrow 81-79 loss to the Phoenix Suns. The Trail Blazers held a lead for 76% of the matchup, and extended it to as large as 16. But their offense greatly struggled as they shot just 34% from the floor and 19% from beyond the three-point arc. The Suns deserve credit for a spirited effort to produce the comeback, but the Trail Blazers left the door open for this to be possible.
DJ Stewart led the team in scoring with 21 points, along with eight rebounds. Fan favorite big man Yang Hansen added 12 points and nine rebounds, but has been ruled out for tonight’s matchup due to an illness. Frankie Fidler opened some eyes by adding 13 points of his own, while Jayson Kent, Chris Youngblood, and Jaylen Martin have also had some encouraging stretches.
There was plenty of sloppy play in this opening summer league matchup, which is largely expected in this type of basketball setting. The two teams combined for 40 turnovers, and the poor shooting splits for each side felt far more tied to poor offensive process than to anything the defenses were doing. Not having Yang Hansen is a disappointment for Portland, but they should be expected to play at a more up-tempo pace without the 7-foot-1 big man.
Magic vs. Trail Blazers pick, best bet
While the loss to the Hornets in the summer league opener was a bit of a disappointment, both the Hornets and Magic have a case for the most impressive summer league rosters. Orlando has more experience than most rosters in Las Vegas, but each of these players has plenty to prove to cement their standings with the Magic organization or in the NBA overall.
Expect a clear effort from the Magic to assert themselves, and for there to be a bit more polish in their overall offensive process. Orlando has multiple trustworthy ball handlers, which is a big deal in this summer league setting. The lack of reliable decision-makers in the offense led to plenty of turnovers for the Trail Blazers, and Noah Penda will be sure to punish Portland if this is the case again tonight. The Magic defense has looked impressive, and there are some major flaws in this Trail Blazers’ attack, which does not bode well for Portland.
Expect a spirited effort from this Magic team and more cohesion on both sides of the ball. There is a talent gap in favor of Orlando, and expect this to be put on full display. Don’t blink at the 4.5-point spread, and there feels to be a real chance this game gets out of control in favor of the Magic.
