Cavaliers vs. Magic Betting Odds: Is Orlando The Favorite?

The Orlando Magic are down 2-0 in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers, but are they favored to win Game 3?

Apr 22, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) looks to pass beside Donovan Mitchell (45). / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

ORLANDO — The Orlando Magic's playoff lives very much hang in the balance on Thursday when they face the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs on Thursday at the Kia Center.

With a win, Orlando moves within a game of tying the series and will have a chance to do so at home, where it was 29-12, the sixth-best record in the NBA in the regular season. Fall behind 3-0, and the Magic's days are likely numbered in their first playoff appearance since 2020.

Orlando dug itself into a 2-0 hole largely due to an offense that has struggled to find any rhythm to begin the series on the road. Despite the road woes in the first two games, SISportsbook.com has the Magic listed as a 2.5-point favorite against the Cavs on Thursday, and their moneyline is minus-143.

In the regular season, the Magic and Cavs split their two meetings at the Kia Center. Orlando won the first matchup 104-94, while Cleveland won the second meeting handily 126-99.

Any hope the Magic have of making the series 2-1 will rely on the offense turning things around after failing to score over 90 points in Games 1 and 2. Orlando has been a much better team offensively at home, as it averages 112.3 points and more rebounds, assists and 3-pointers made. The Magic are also even more stout defensively, as they have allowed nearly seven fewer points per game compared to when they played on the road.

Among the players who will have to be a catalyst in the offense finding its groove is point guard Cole Anthony. Anthony has yet to make a basket, going 0 for 11 from the field, including 0 for 7 on his 3-point attempts. His lone four points have come on free throws in Game 1. In the regular season, he averaged 11.6 points per game.

"We're all capable of making shots, we just have to hit them now," Anthony said. "I think our process the last two games have been pretty good. We've kept a team that like that can score under 100 points two days, but on the other end of that, you know, we've only put up about 80 points. So we got to just get a few more shots to help us win some games."

With Orlando's track record at home, it being the favorite isn't a surprise, though, believing Cleveland should be the favorite isn't far-fetched after how the first two games went. If the Magic can get other players to find a rhythm on offense outside of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, then they'll be in a great position to cut the deficit in the series to one. But if it's more of the same from Games 1 and 2, then the Magic will have to lean heavily on their defense to win an ugly slugfest and avoid their playoff run being on the brink of ending.

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