Orlando Magic vs. Toronto Raptors Prediction, NBA Odds
Toronto is +1.5 on the NBA odds with a total of 221.5.
Magic vs. Raptors NBA Betting Odds
Because it’s the second of a back-to-back, it’s hard to know which Raptors might sit out. I’d be a little surprised if RJ Barrett played as he just returned from a long injury absence Sunday and you don’t want to overdo it this quickly. Toronto is 1-5 in the second of a B2B this season with that lone win coming at home vs. Cleveland on Nov. 24.
It is not part of one for the Magic, a pretty good team but probably not a legit Eastern Conference contender quite yet. They lead the Southeast Division — yep, there are still divisions in the NBA not that anyone pays attention – and are -220 favourites to win that while priced +700 to win the East, behind New York (+260), Detroit (+450), Cleveland (+550) and Boston (+600). I think the Magic are a bigger threat than the Celtics anyways. They just need to get healthy, barely having the projected starting five together this season.
One of Orlando’s best players and one of the more promising younger guys in the East, forward Franz Wagner (22.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG), has been out since Dec. 7 with an ankle injury and not back tonight.
Monday marks the first of three regular-season meetings between these clubs with Toronto taking three of four last season. But it is still only 4-6 SU & ATS in the past 10. The over-under is 3-7.
Orlando Magic
Orlando has alternated wins and losses over its past six and off a 127-126 home win over Denver on Saturday. Really fun game if you didn’t see with eight lead changes in the final 2:30 of game time. Guard Anthony Black scored a career-high 38 points, while Desmond Bane made two free throws with 6.9 seconds left. Black only starts when fellow guard Jalen Suggs (15.4 PPG) is out, which he was with a hip injury and is doubtful Monday. Bane was the team’s big off-season trade acquisition from Memphis. Forward Paolo Banchero, a former Rookie of the Year and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, is slumping at the moment. He had just 12 points Saturday, his third straight with 13 or fewer. Banchero looked like a blossoming superstar last season but has regressed this year, also having dealt with some injuries. Backup big man Goga Bitadze is questionable having missed the past three with a knee issue. Orlando has split the past six in Toronto and is 3-9 ATS in its past 12 this year.
Toronto Raptors
The Dinos really had no right winning Sunday night at home vs. Golden State down double digits midway through the fourth quarter, but a late Scottie Barnes tip-in tied it at 122-all and Toronto dominated overtime for a 141-127 victory. That could be one of those that catapults the team for a while … or the guys may all be pretty flat tonight. Barnes was incredible overall with 23 points, a career-high and team-record-tying 25 rebounds and 10 assists in 42 minutes. Immanuel Quickley had 27 points, Brandon Ingram 26 and RJ Barrett 12 points in 24 minutes in his return from injury. The Raptors snapped a five-game home skid. They have not won back-to-back games overall since their nine-game winning streak in November. Jakob Poeltl and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles both missed it. Poeltl sat his third in a row with back issues, while CMB was dealing with an illness. Lot of that going around in the NBA right now (and NFL, NHL, etc.). Toronto is 4-11 ATS in its past 15.
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