Key Points
- The Orlando Magic are 27-13 ATS at home this season
- The Magic have a 51-33-0 record ATS this year
- The Cavaliers lead the series 2-0
- The Magic and Cavaliers split the spread 2-2 during the regular season meetings.
The NBA Playoffs are underway, and tonight is game 3 of the Eastern Conference first-round between the No.4 Cleveland Cavaliers (48-34, 22-19 away) and the No.5 Orlando Magic (47-35, 29-12 home). Up 2-0 on the series, the Cavaliers will face the Magic on the road tonight. In the best of seven games, the winner of the series will advance to play the winner of the Celtics vs. Heat series. With both teams back in the postseason after several down years, the Magic haven't made a Conference Semi-Finals appearance since the 2009-2010 season. For Cleveland, they last found themselves in the NBA Finals during the 2017-2018 season.
(Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
Favored by 5.5 in the first two games, the Cavaliers held the Magic to under 90 points in both contests. With both games relatively low scoring, the Magic will look to bounce back with home-court advantage. Although Cleveland has been excellent on the defensive end, they haven't broken the 100-point scoring plane in either game. In a game where scoring was minimal, the Cavaliers and Magic shot under 42 percent from the field and downtown. While Orlando isn't exactly known for their three-point shooting, they've proven why they finished as the 5 seed in the East. Tonight, I expect a closer matchup.
If the Magic want to prevent getting swept, they will need to shoot more efficiently from the field, and win the turnover and rebound battle. Allowing the Cavs to build up 20-point leads in the first two matchups, the Magic will have to rely on their defense again tonight. With Cleveland without Dean Wade, Ty Jerome, and Craig Porter, the Magic will have a relatively healthy squad. In fact, according to Rotowire, Orlando guard Jalen Suggs will not have any limitations after avoiding a serious knee injury in game 2.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS. ORLANDO MAGIC FAN DUEL ODDS FOR APR. 25
MONEY LINE
- CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: +120
- ORLANDO MAGIC:-142
SPREAD
- CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: +2.5 (-108)
- ORLANDO MAGIC: -2.5 (-112)
OVER/UNDER (TOTAL)
- OVER: 201 (-110)
- UNDER: 201 (-110)
BEST ODDS FOR CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS. ORLANDO MAGIC
- Bet Rivers currently has the best Orlando Magic money line odds at -132
- The Orlando Magic s are 2.5-point favorites against the Cleveland Cavaliers. BetMGM currently has the best odds currently at (-110)
- The Cleveland Cavaliers are the underdogs by +2.5 to cover the spread tonight. Caesars currently has the best odds at -105 for Cleveland to cover the spread
- ESPN Bet currently has the best odds for the total, which is set at -105 for the over and -110 for the under (201).
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CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS. ORLANDO MAGIC INJURY REPORT
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS INJURY REPORT
- G: CRAIG PORTER, OUT: ANKLE
- G: TY JEROME, OUT: ANKLE
- F: DEAN WAGE, OUT: KNEE
ORLANDO MAGIC INJURY REPORT
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS POST-SEASON STATISTICS & BETTING TRENDS
- *ATS = Against the Spread
- *O/U = Over/Under
- Best out of 16 current playoff teams
Last 5 Games 4-1
Last 10 Games 5-5
Season ATS Record 40-44-0
Season O/U Record 40-43-1
Last 5 Games ATS 3-2
Last 10 Games ATS 5-5
Last 5 Games O/U 2-3
Last 10 Games O/U 5-5
Offensive Rating (Rank) 101 (13)
Defensive Rating (Rank) 88.5 (1)
Points Per Game (Rank) 96.5 (12)
Pace (Rank) 95.5 (T-1)
Opponent Points Per Game (Rank) 84.5 (1)
Three-Point Percentage (Rank) 29 % (14)
Rebounds Per Game (Rank) 51 (1)
Last 10 Games ATS Wins: Utah (-9,5), LA Clippers (+4), Indiana (-2.5), Orlando (-5.5, -5.5).
ORLANDO MAGIC POST-SEASON STATISTICS & BETTING TRENDS
- *ATS = Against the Spread
- *O/U = Over/Under
- Best out of 16 current playoff teams
Last 5 Games 1-4
Last 10 Games 4-6
Season ATS Record 51-33-0
Season O/U Record 37-47-0
Last 5 Games ATS 1-4
Last 10 Games ATS 3-7-0
Last 5 Games O/U 2-3
Last 10 Games O/U 5-5
Offensive Rating (Rank) 88.5 (16)
Defensive Rating (Rank) 101 (4)
Points Per Game (Rank)94 (12)
Pace (Rank) 95.5 (T-1)
Opponent Points Per Game (Rank) 96.5 (4)
Three-Point Percentage (Rank) 23.6 (16)
Rebounds Per Game (Rank) 40. 5 (11)
Last 10 Games ATS Wins: New Orleans (+4.5), Chicago (-7.5), Milwaukee (-6).
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATS: CAVALIERS VS. MAGIC
Season Matchups:
- Game 1: Cleveland 121, Orlando 111 (Cleveland -4.5, Over 225.5)
- Game 2: Orlando 104, Cleveland 94 (Orlando -2.5, Under 225.5)
- Game 3: Cleveland 126, Orlando 99 (Cleveland -2.5, Over 215)
- Game 4: Orlando 116, Cleveland 109 (Orlando +5.5, Over 214)
- Game 1 Playoffs: Cleveland 97, Orlando 83 (Cleveland -5.5, Under 206.5)
- Game 2 Playoffs: Cleveland 96, Orlando 86 (Cleveland -5.5, Under 205)
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SPREAD: MAGIC -2.5
Down 2-0, the Orlando Magic are headed down to the Sunshine State and will look to stay alive against Cleveland. After being held to 169 cumulative points over the last two games, Orlando is a much better team than they've played this season. While some thought their success was a fluke at the beginning of the season, they have depth, and it starts with Paolo Banchero. Overall, Orlando is an excellent team covering the spread. With a 51-33-0 spread record on the season, they have a 27-13-0 record against the spread at home. While the two teams split the regular season series 2-2, the Orlando Magic covered the spread in two of the four meetings.
Out of 16 playoff teams, the Magic rank last in offensive rating and three-point percentage. As I stated previously, shooting 23 percent from downtown won't win you games, so look for head coach Jamahl Mosley will have another game plan.
Overall the 2.5 isn't a large spread, meaning Orlando needs to win by three points to cash out. With the third-best adjusted defense in the league (111.2), I expect this to be a relatively scoring game once again. Similar to the Magic, the Cavaliers are the top defensive team in the playoffs, limiting the Magic to an average of 88 points in the first two meetings.
THE MAGIC ARE 24-6 AS FAVORITES THIS YEAR
While both teams played at a slower pace during the regular season, it's been a different story this postseason. The top team in pace in the playoffs, the Magic will need to slow their roll and control the boards if they want to cover and win. Out rebounded by over 10 points in the series, Orlando will need to show how they know best.
Through 82 games, the Magic ranked third in defensive rating (110.8), just behind the Celtics and Timberwolves, which keeps them in the conversation for tonight. Through two games, they've shot 21.6 percent and 25.7 percent from deep, and combined with defense, and Orlando will have to adjust. Given they ranked 5th in percentage of points in the paint (46.9 percent), I expect them to attack inside tonight.
THE MAGIC HAVE AN ELITE DEFENSIVE SQUAD
With a 19-22-0 spread on the road, it's truly hard to get a grasp of who the Cavaliers are, especially given the severity of injuries they've faced all season long. Fortunately for the Magic, they have a 24-9 record against a +2.5 spread underdog opponent and now have a chance to get back in the game.
Aside from Mo Wager, I can't express how important the bench will be tonight. That includes efficient play on both ends for guard Cole Anthony and Markelle Fultz. Aside from Jonathan Isaac, who's an elite defender, Mo Wagner, and Wendell Carter Jr. will have to help stop the bleeding on the rebounds. Over two games, Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen has 38 rebounds in two games.
Although the Cavs ran away with the first two games, there's good news for the Magic. Cleveland hasn't exactly been elite on offense, shooting 44.4 and 41.5 percent from the field. Averaging 29.2 percent from deep, there's room for the Magic to capitalize off of defensive stops. Limiting their second chance and fast break points will be key tonight for the Magic. With such a young squad, can they steal a game tonight? While I'm surprised they are favored, I'm, rolling with Magic -2.5.
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