Portland Trail Blazers vs. Orlando Magic: 3 Best Bets

Before the Orlando Magic takes on the Portland Trail Blazers, we have you covered with our three best bets.

Oct 27, 2023; Portland, Oregon, USA; Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) dribbles the ball during a game against the Portland Trail Blazers / Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

With eight games left in the season, the Orlando Magic is only one game behind the fourth-seeded New York Knicks and one and a half games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are in a bit of a skid. Tonight, Orlando will take on the Portland Trail Blazers, who are out of the playoff picture and playing for draft position.

The Magic won their only game against Portland thus far, but that was the second game of the season. Portland has lost nine straight games, recently losing by 60 points to the Miami Heat, so these two teams are playing with different motives.

Oct 27, 2023; Portland, Oregon, USA; Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) drives to the basket against the Portland Trail Blazers. / Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

The Magic is healthy entering the game, but Portland has a lengthy injury report. Robert Williams III, Shaedon Sharpe, Malcolm Brogdon, Anfernee Simons, Toumani Camara, and Matisse Thybulle are all out, while Justin Minaya and Jerami Grant are doubtful.

Keep it posted here for our three best bets, powered by the lines at SI Sportsbook.

The Lines

Point spread: Trail Blazers +15.5 (-105)/Magic -15.5 (-118)

Money line: Trail Blazers (+900)/Magic (-2000)

Over/under: 210.5

Our Picks

Safe pick: Jalen Suggs OVER 12.5 points (-133)

Matisse Thybulle is one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, but he isn't playing tonight, so Jalen Suggs won't have to be content with him. Suggs has averaged 13 points over his last five games, and with the exception of the Memphis Grizzlies, all of the teams he faced were trying to win. Expect him to light up Scoot Henderson.

Opponent pick: Scoot Henderson UNDER 18.5 points (-125)

Scoot Henderson has looked solid as of late, averaging 19.2 points on 43 percent shooting from the floor and 36 percent from three across his last five games. However, unlike Suggs who gets some relief with Thybulle out, Henderson has to go up against an elite defender (Suggs!). Despite his top-notch scoring, he is coming off an absolute beatdown at the hands of the Heat where he posted a plus/minus of -58, which is the lowest plus/minus of the 21st century.

Team pick: Magic -15.5 (-118)

Orlando beat the Grizzlies (13.5) by 30 points, so expect them to make a mockery of another Western Conference bottom-feeder. The Trail Blazers are playing for draft position, and there is a very real possibility that the Magic will be able to overtake both the Knicks and Cavaliers before the season ends, so expect Orlando to give its all.