NBA Betting: Are the Magic Really a Threat in the Eastern Conference Playoffs?

With just one week left in the season, the Orlando Magic are currently third in the Eastern Conference standings. They own an impressive 46-32 record, trailing the second place Bucks by just one game. However, they are also just two games away from being in the play-in tournament.

Below, we’ll be sharing how our USA Legal Betting experts view the Magic’s chances in the playoffs. You’ll get the latest odds and insights, giving you everything you need to finish the NBA season strong at betting sites.

In short: The Magic’s front office has been one of the best in the NBA over the last three years. The team’s top four scorers were all acquired through the draft. Paolo Banchero (22.6 PPG), Franz Wagner (19.6 PPG), Jalen Suggs (12.4 PPG), and Cole Anthony (11.6 PPG) all were top-15 picks selected by Orlando since 2020. That core has grown together over the last few seasons, and it has shown this year.

On top of the Magics’ impressive draft results, they also added a couple of key big men in free agency. That includes centers Wendell Carter Jr. (11.3 PPG) and Moritz Wagner (10.8 PPG), who have been a big part of the team’s success. The front office also acquired 2017 top pick Markelle Fultz for cheap, and he has become a reliable backup to Cole Anthony.

According to NBA betting sites, not very.  According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Magic are +18000 to win the NBA Championship. That’s the seventeenth-worst odds in the NBA, signaling that bookmakers aren’t buying what the Magic are selling.

Our experts think this could be a dangerous team thanks to their defense. The Magic are third in the league in opponent scoring (108.3 PPG). They also rank ninth in defending the three, allowing opponents to make just 35.6% of their threes. Those are impressive numbers that play a major role in the NBA playoffs.

The problem for the Magic is their offense. They are twenty-fifth in the NBA in scoring, averaging a measly 110.6 points per game. A big reason for there is struggles to shoot from three, where they are making just 35.3% of their attempts. It’s hard to win in the modern NBA when you can’t make threes, which is why many aren’t buying what the Magic are selling.

We talked about their struggles to score consistency, but that’s not our biggest concern for Orlando heading into the playoffs. The reason we are hesitating to buy in on the Magic is their remaining schedule. We talked above about how close they are to the second and seventh seed. That is a pretty big problem given that they finish the season with road games against Houston, Milwaukee, and Philly, before coming home to host Milwaukee on Sunday.

It’s not just the play-in that’s a threat, there is also the chance they could draw the Celtics in the second round. Boston lost to the Magic during the In-Season Tournament, but crushed them in both regular season meetings, both of which were in Orlando. The Magic can’t beat Boston in a seven-game series, but there is another route available.

If the Magic can capture one of the top two seeds, they will open the playoffs with a home series. Orlando went 28-12 at home, giving them a big advantage. A win would likely land them with a matchup against a Bucks team that nobody fears. They are 1-1 against the Bucks this season, with two matchups remaining this week. A win there would send them to the ECF.

While that path is clear, it is far from guaranteed given their remaining schedule.