76ers vs Magic Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

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19 January 2024

76ers vs Magic Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

Two of the best defenses in the NBA meet in Orlando when the Sixers visit the Magic on Friday night. Paolo Banchero could be one of a few players who struggle to score in this one, per our NBA betting picks.

There are some great games on the NBA odds board tonight, including an intriguing Eastern Conference clash where the upstart Orlando Magic will host Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Magic’s breakout has been one of the better stories in the first half of this NBA season. But with like all young teams there are growing pains, and that’s what Orlando is going through now. That is not ideal when the 76ers are coming to town.

Joel Embiid is on a tear for a team that finally looks like it wants to have a lengthy playoff run, so it’s no surprise the Sixers are laying a handful of points in this matchup.

Can the Magic keep this close, or will they be schooled by a true contender? I break down this Eastern Conference matchup and bring you the best bet, plus a same-game parlay in my NBA picks and predictions for 76ers vs. Magic on Friday, January 19.

76ers vs Magic odds

76ers vs Magic predictions

The Orlando Magic enter tonight’s matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers with a 22-19 record. If you told the Magic before the season began that this would be their record at the midway point, I’m sure they would have taken it in a heartbeat. But Orlando has hit a rough patch, losing four of its last five games.

The team got off to a great start fueled by a defense that ranks third in the NBA in defensive rating, and 11th in opponent-effective field goal percentage. But while the defense has flourished, the offense hasn't quite caught up.

The Magic rank 24th in both offensive rating and eFG% and 23rd in scoring offense, putting up 112 points per game. Most of the offense is generated off the back of Paolo Banchero.

The former Rookie of the Year is averaging 22.9 points on 45% shooting from the floor while adding 7.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game, and he’s upped that production lately. Banchero is putting up 26.9 points per game over his last 15 games. So, in that sense, it’s not surprising to see the point prop total in the Paolo Banchero odds sitting at 26.5 for this matchup.

Unfortunately for Banchero and the Magic, I’m not sure this line weighs the matchup with the Sixers heavily enough.

Joel Embiid is one of the best basketball players on the planet. With running mate Tyrese Maxey and head coach Nick Nurse, everyone knows by now that Philly has one of the most formidable offenses in the NBA. But I’m not sure if the Philly defense is getting enough respect.

Many forget that one of the big strengths of Nurse’s 2019 championship run with the Toronto Raptors was their defense, and it appears he’s brought that mentality to Philly. The Sixers rank fifth in both defensive rating and opponent eFG%, limiting opponents to just 111.9 points per game.

That’s bad news for Banchero, who has cooled off a bit during this little skid the Magic are on. Banchero hasn't topped 26 points in each of the last five games while shooting just 38.7% from the field. Philly also bottled up Banchero when they last met in Orlando back on December 27, holding him to 19 points on 6 of 21 shooting.

Once again, this number is not giving enough respect to the fact Banchero is in a bit of a slump and going against a stout Philly defense. I love the Under 26.5 points in this matchup and so do our Covers Prop Projections, which have Banchero at 24.4 points tonight.

My best bet: Paolo Banchero Under 26.5 points (-110 at BetMGM)

76ers vs Magic same-game parlay

Paolo Banchero Under 26.5 points

Tyrese Maxey Under 6.5 assists

Jalen Suggs Over 2.5 assists

As always, our same-game parlay tips off with my best bet, which for this Eastern Conference clash is Paolo Banchero to stay Under his points prop of 26.5. Let’s complete this SGP with a pair of assist props.

I broke down why I like the Tyrese Maxey odds to go below 6.5 assists in today’s NBA Player Prop Picks article, but basically, it comes down to the fact that the Magic are an excellent defensive team that allows the fewest assists per game in the NBA, and they limited Maxey to just two assists in their most recent meeting.

Finally, let’s add Jalen Suggs Over 2.5 assists. Suggs averages only 2.4 assists per game but it really feels like he’s all or nothing. For example, in his last 11 games, he has six games with three or more assists and four with one assist or fewer. I think if the Magic want to stay competitive in this game they’ll need to focus on ball movement. Add the Over on these Jalen Suggs odds for a nice little payout.

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76ers vs Magic spread and Over/Under analysis

The 76ers opened this Eastern Conference matchup as 5-point favorites and have bounced back and forth between that and 5.5 as of Friday afternoon.

The last time these two teams met back on December 27, also in Orlando, it was actually the Magic who were 2-point favorites. Any guesses why? Yup. Joel Embiid didn’t play in that game. And Philadelphia still won in a blowout, 112-92.

Obviously, the Sixers can go through their rough patches as well. But their talent level doesn’t allow those patches to be very long. While the Magic can matchup fairly well with Philly at the defensive end of the floor, the offenses aren’t in the same ballpark. I would lean toward laying the point with the Sixers here.

When it comes to the total, that hit the board at 222 and is up slightly sitting at 223 as of this writing. A low total for sure, but not surprising in a matchup of Top 5 defenses.

Orlando has been a solid Under bet all season at 18-23 O/U thanks to their combination of shaky offense and elite defense. On the other side, Philadelphia has been one of the best Over teams in basketball despite its strong defense at 23-15-1 O/U. It’s a testament to Philly’s ability to put up big numbers against anyone. That has me staying away from the total here.