ORLANDO MAGIC VS. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS ODDS & PREDICTIONS

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One of the games on Wednesday night’s slate features the Orlando Magic (14-6) going on the road to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers (11-9).

Here is a look at which team has the edge going into this Eastern Conference showdown and why.

Tipoff

When: Wednesday, December 6, 2023 at 7:00 PM ET
Where: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, OH
TV: BSOH and BSFL

Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Odds (via DraftKings)

Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers – Regular Season Stats & Betting Trends

Orlando Magic Season Stats:

Offense: 114.2 PPG – 15th
Offense Efficiency: 113.7 points per 100 possessions – 18th
Defense: 110.0 PPG – 6th
Defense Efficiency: 100.5 points per 100 possessions – 6th

The Orlando Magic posted a 5-5 record through their first 10 games of the season. Subsequently, the team reeled off nine straight victories before a disappointing 129-101 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night. Franz Wagner and Cole Anthony led the team with 20 points each. Paolo Banchero added 19 points, 10 boards, and eight assists.

Banchero offered this assessment following the game.

“I think you can’t overlook it,” Banchero said of the winning streak ending, via ESPN. “I think it’s something to be proud of as a team and everyone in the locker room is. But we also understand that we have a chance to bounce back, and we go on another streak.”

The Magic were outscored by 21 points (43-22) in the first 12 minutes of action and by a 31-16 margin in the fourth quarter. On the heels of a very lethargic start and finish, Orlando looks to get back into the win column against Cleveland.

Cleveland Cavaliers Season Stats:

Offense: 110.8 PPG – 25th
Offense Efficiency: 111.8 points per 100 possessions – 22nd
Defense: 111.2 PPG – 8th
Defense Efficiency: 112.2 points per 100 possessions – 9th

The Cleveland Cavaliers split their first 16 games but have produced three wins in their last four outings. This includes a 110-101 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night. It was the 17th straight loss for the lowly Pistons.

Darius Garland and Max Strus paced the Cavaliers’ scoring attack with 22 points and five assists apiece Donovan Mitchell finished with 20 points, four assists, and two steals. Jarrett Allen tallied 19 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists.

The Cavaliers look to extend their winning streak to two games against a Magic squad that has the third-best record in the Eastern Conference.

Next up, here is a quick look at some noteworthy betting trends for both ball clubs.

The Picks

The Spread

The Cavaliers opened as a four-point favorite. At the time of this writing, the line has not moved. Here are a few trends that suggest why going with the road team to cover is a smart move.

The Magic are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
Orlando is 11-5 ATS in their last 16 road contests.
The Magic have a 4-1 ATS in their last five matchups against Central Division opponents.
The Cavaliers are 2-5 ATS in their last seven Wednesday games.
Cleveland is 1-4 ATS in the last five home games they have played on a Wednesday.

Prediction: Orlando Magic (+4.5)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total opened at 224.5 points. That line has moved to 222.5 points, with the OVER garnering 90 percent of the cash and 71 percent of the tickets (via pregame.com). Here are a few trends that suggest why going with the “under” is the best option.

The UNDER total has cashed in five times in the Magic’s last six road matchups against Cleveland.
In the Cavaliers’ last five games, the UNDER total has hit four times.
The UNDER total has prevailed 14 times in the last 18 meetings between these two teams.
In Cleveland’s last 16 home games, the total has gone UNDER 12 times.

Prediction: UNDER 222.5 points

Player Prop Bets

My key player to watch for the Magic is Franz Wagner. He currently has -110 odds of scoring more than 20.5 points and -120 odds of scoring less than 20.5 points.

Wagner has played against the Cavaliers just six times in his career. And in those six games, he’s averaging 13.2 points per contest. This is well below his projected scoring total for this contest.

On the other hand, Wagner is averaging 20.7 points per game this season. Additionally, Wagner is averaging 22.6 points per outing over his last 10 games.

It is also worth noting that he is averaging 22.5 points per contest in four Wednesday night games this season. Given these trends, going with the “over” for Wagner looks like a smart bet.

Prediction: Franz Wagner OVER 20.5 points

My key player to watch for the Cavaliers is Darius Garland. He currently has -120 odds of scoring more than 20.5 points and -110 odds of scoring less than 20.5 points.

Garland has played against the Magic just 9 times in his career. In those nine games, he is averaging 18.9 points per outing, which is a point and a half below his projected scoring total for this matchup.

On the season, Garland is averaging 19.3 points per game. Over his last 10 outings, he is averaging 20.7 points per contest, and he has exceeded the points total for this matchup five times during that stretch.

To be perfectly honest, this one is too close to call. However, taking into consideration that the Magic are an above-average team at the defense end of the floor, I am going to lean toward going with the “under” for Garland.

Prediction: Darius Garland UNDER 20.5 points

James’s Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Picks

The Spread: Orlando Magic (+4.5)
Over/Under: UNDER 222.5 points
Player Prop Bet #1: Franz Wager OVER 20.5 points
Player Prop Bet #2: Darius Garland UNDER 25.5 points