NBA Futures Best Bets for Southeast Division: Miami Heat vs Orlando Magic

Vaughn Dalzell breaks down the two-team matchup in the Southeast Division between the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic.

Southeast Division Winner: Orlando Magic (+200)

Believe it or not, the Orlando Magic have the remaining easiest strength of schedule in the NBA at .445 over the last 38 games.

The second half of the season features 12 combined games against the Hornets, Grizzlies, Pistons, Spurs, Blazers, and Wizards; for example, so the odds for Orlando to win the Southeast Division are a solid deal.

You can shop around and get Orlando anywhere from +175 to +200 to win the division over the Miami Heat, who lead by 1.5 games and just traded for Terry Rozier. The rest of the southeast is below .500 with the Atlanta Hawks sitting at third (18-25), with Charlotte (10-31) and Washington (7-35) out of the picture.

Miami has had their injury woes all season ranging from Jimmy Butler (15), Bam Adebayo (10), Tyler Herro (19), Gabe Vincent (14), and now Jaimie Jaquez (4). The five of them combined for 62 games missed. With the Heat being so injury-prone, they should be a team more focused on playoff positioning with its matchup whether than winning the division.

Orlando was 34-48 last season and finished fourth in the southeast. A second-half meltdown doesn’t appear to be in the cards for a Magic team that is 23-21 through 44 games with a mostly healthy team and the best strength of schedule.

The Magic are 2-6 in the past eight games but have matchups with San Antonio, Detroit, Memphis, Chicago, and Miami over the next nine games, so this is a great buy-low spot for me in the division.

The best odds for Orlando to win the Southeast Division is on DraftKings at +200, while FanDuel and BetMGM list this at +175.

Pick: Orlando Magic to win the Southeast Division (1u)

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