Orlando Magic vs. Los Angeles Lakers: 3 Best Bets
The Orlando Magic is looking to start the season 3-0 for the first time since 2020, and take on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers tonight at 10:30 p.m. ET.
The Lakers can be seen as an older version of the Magic. Both teams have their best players in the frontcourt. Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero will have their hands full against James and Anthony Davis.
Jarred Vanderbilt is the only player already ruled out for either side, and he takes away much of the defensive help that Davis benefits from. That being said, Davis is among the league’s best defenders, so the Magic will struggle to score down low, even without Vanderbilt in play.
Through three games, LeBron James does not look like a 21-season vet. The future Hall-of-Famer is posting 23 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.3 assists, which is enough for a 20th All-Star bid even without his legendary status helping him.
The game is on NBA TV, but it’s also the only late game of the night, so NBA fans across the country will be tuned in. Here are the odds and picks, courtesy of SI Sportsbook.
Franz Wagner posted 19 points in the opener against Houston.
Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports
The Lines
Point Spread: Lakers (-1.5)/Magic (+1.5)
Money Line: Lakers (-133)/Magic (+105)
Over/Under: 218.5
Our Picks
Best pick: Franz Wagner OVER 18.5 points (-120)
In both games, Wagner has scored more than 18.5 points, posting 19 and 23. So far this season, he has spaced the floor rather well, which will be a challenge for the Lakers’ defense to keep up with. Banchero holds the reputation as Orlando’s best player, so he will likely be the focal point of the defensive game plan. That means more shots for Wagner, and he isn’t prone to miss.
Safest pick: Wendell Carter Jr. OVER 0.5 threes made (-275)
The odds should tell you all you need to know. Carter Jr. has taken five threes this season and only made one, but he isn’t scared to shoot, especially when he’s open. With the Lakers swarming Wagner and Banchero, Carter should be able to slink outside of the arc and get some shots off, and he only needs to make one for this bet to hit.
Risky pick: OVER 218.5 points (-110)
This is a low line, but the Lakers are coming off a back-to-back and probably won’t fill up the box score to their full potential. On top of that, the Magic’s highest-scoring game so far was 202 points in their blowout win against the Rockets. Granted, most of the credit can be given to Houston, who posted a mere 86 points. That being said, the over is too risky to put money on tonight, and player props are the safest bet, especially given LA’s fatigue, which can be taken advantage of.
The Lakers are favored to win, but most of that comes with homecourt advantage. If a road team is given less than 2.5 points, it generally means that the game will be too close for the experts in Las Vegas to come up with a line.
