Raptors vs. Magic Point Spread: NBA Odds, Prediction
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Jeremy Perry
The Toronto Raptors own the best record in the Eastern Conference entering Friday night. However, they’ve cooled off a little bit after a scintillating start to the season as they have split their last 10 games with a .500 record over that span. After beating Orlando 93-91 the first time around, Toronto will try to double down with a second road win over the Magic in Orlando. The Magic are in a funk right now as they’ve drop four in a row and seven of nine.
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Toronto has actually been a very good team on the road this season with a 13-6 record. However, the Raptors are 16-20 against the spread this season, including a 9-10 ATS record as the visiting team. They are 8-4 ATS and 11-1 straight up against teams with a losing record, which is encouraging.
The Magic is 17-16 against the spread this season. They are slumping right now, though, covering just twice in their last nine games. However, Orlando is just 6-11 ATS at the Amway Center. Oddly enough, they are a perfect 6-0 ATS against Atlantic Division opponents. However, they’ve dropped four of five at home to Toronto and six of eight in this series.
Toronto Raptors
Consistency will be the key for a talented Raptors team the rest of the way. Toronto has a roster that is good enough to win the Eastern Conference, but needs to play better than it has of late. Remember, they started 12-1 and are just 14-9 since then.
Part of the problem is injuries and they’ll be a factor again. Jonas Valanciunas has been out with a hand injury. Kyle Lowry is dealing with a back issue and is out on Friday night. Serge Ibaka has been plagued with a knee issue but played on Wednesday. Toronto has also been careful to limit Kawhi Leonard’s workload after he missed almost all of last season. This is a deep team but it’s messing with their rotations and rhythm a little bit.
The good news is that while they are 5-5 in their last 10, the losses have come to quality teams like Milwaukee, Denver, Portland, Philadelphia and a Brooklyn team that’s red-hot.
Orlando Magic
Orlando threw everything it had at Toronto in the first meeting between these teams, leading by as many as 18. After nearly upsetting the Raptors the first time around, the Magic will have an even more difficult doing it this time as now they’re slumping. They had won seven of nine and were on a roll the first time these teams met.
Everything has gone wrong for the Magic ever since. They had won nine of their first 18 contests heading into that game; they have since won just five times in 16 games. They’ve actually been a decent defensive team this season (9th in the NBA in opponent points per game) but it’s their offence that’s been pathetic. They’ve scored under 100 points in seven of their last eight games and the lone time they surpassed the mark was an overtime contest. They are averaging just 92.5 points per game in that span. If they perform like that again, the Raptors will win again in Orlando.
