The Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic will take on each other for the first time this season Monday night at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. We should see a great game, as both teams started the season on the right foot and enter Monday’s clash with a 4-2 record each.
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Magic opened as 4.5-point favorites with a total of 217.5 points, so here’s my best betting pick for the Cleveland vs. Orlando showdown along with all need-to-know betting tips and trends.
The Cavs overcame a 15-point deficit in Atlanta to snap a two-game skid
After a couple of losses to the Knicks 95-86 and at the Pacers 119-99, the Cleveland Cavaliers returned to the winning path last Saturday, outlasting the Atlanta Hawks 96-91 as 5.5-point road underdogs. They trailed by as many as 15 points, but the Cavs played some terrific defense down the stretch while yielding only 35 second-half points.
Collin Sexton had another good game, notching 27 points on 10-for-18 shooting from the field. He continues to improve playing off the ball, as Darius Garland spends most of the time at PG, averaging 17.2 points and 6.3 assists per game.
The Cavaliers score only 104.6 points per 100 possessions (23rd in the NBA), but they tally 25.3 assists (8th) while making 46.3% of their field goals (13th) and 37.1% of their 3-pointers (12th). On the other side of the ball, the Cavs surrender just 102.0 points per 100 possessions (3rd) while posting 10.7 steals (2nd).
The Magic just recorded their second straight loss
The Orlando Magic opened the season with four straight victories, playing three times on the road, so their fans had high hopes ahead of a four-game homestand. However, the Magic started it with a heavy 116-92 loss to Philadelphia, while they were beaten by Oklahoma City 108-99 this past Saturday.
Once more, Orlando put on a horrible offensive performance. After making 34.7% of their field goals against Phila, the Magic shot 37.0% from the field and 26.3% from beyond the arc against the Thunder. They had just six turnovers on Saturday, so you can imagine how poorly they actually executed on the offensive end.
Nikola Vucevic leads the way for the Magic, posting a double-double of 21.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, while Terrence Ross averages 22.0 points on 49.4% shooting. The Magic are 15th in the league in points scored per 100 possessions (108.1), but they tally only 21.1 assists (29th).
Trends:
Cleveland:
- 3-7 ATS in the last ten games against Orlando
Orlando:
- 4-2 ATS in six games this season
The Winner Prediction
The Cavs are playing well despite missing Kevin Love, while the Magic are without Evan Fournier which obviously hearts their offense. Still, I think Orlando will bounce back from a pair of straight losses. The Magic can play aggressive defense, especially in the backcourt, while Nikola Vucevic will torture Andre Drummond with his mid-range game.
Cleveland will keep it close, so I don’t feel comfortable with a 4.5-point spread. Orlando is 4-1 ATS in its last five outings when listed as a fave of three or fewer points.
Pick: Take Orlando -2.5 at -160
The Total:
Seven of the last eight encounters between the Cavs and Magic went in the under including the previous four at Amway Center, and I have to follow this trend. The Magic allow 108.0 points per 100 possessions while playing at a surprisingly fast pace of 103.6 possessions per 48 minutes, but I’ve mentioned how good the Cavs have been defensively thus far.
Cleveland will try to slow down the tempo, as the Cavs average 99.8 possessions per 48 minutes. The Magic, on the other side, should try to slow down things, too, considering their terrible offensive execution over the last two outings.
Pick: Go under 217.5 points at -110