Magic vs. Heat: 3 Best Bets
In the last matchup of the season, the Orlando Magic is looking to even the season series with the Miami Heat. The Magic dropped the first two games before beating Miami late last month.
If Orlando loses, the Heat will pass them and snag the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, making avoiding the Play-In Tournament much, much easier.
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Bam Adebayo has been a consistent thorn in Oralando's side, averaging a cool 20.3 across all three games. For Orlando, Paolo Banchero started off slow in the Florida series but has scored at least 20 points in each of the last two matchups.
The Magic enter the game healthy for the first time all season, and Dru Smith is out, Duncan Robinson is questionable, and Tyler Herro is probable for the Heat. Jimmy Butler will be playing against Orlando for only the second time this season.
Keep it posted here for our three best bets before tipoff, powered by the lines at SI Sportsbook.
The Lines
Point spread: Heat -3.5 (-110)/Magic +3.5 (-118)
Money line: Heat (-152)/Magic (+120)
Over/under: 212.5
Our Picks
Safe pick: Paolo Banchero OVER 21.5 points (-137)
Banchero has scored over 21.5 points in four of his last five games and has averaged a whopping 26 points in that span. Since the All-Star rosters were revealed, Banchero has shown that he fits right in with the East's best. Miami has given him no trouble so far this season, he scored 25 points despite inefficient shooting earlier in the year.
Opponent pick: Jimmy Butler OVER 18.5 points (-133)
Sure, Butler only scored 15 points in the last meeting with the Magic, but he's been on a tear since coming back from injury, averaging 22.6 points over 11 games. Over his last five appearances, he's been even better, posting 26 points on 57.3 percent shooting. Orlando's defense will be a test, but this line is just a bit too low.
Team pick: Magic to win (+120)
Orlando is healthy, motivated, and riding a three-game win streak. With Jonathan Isaac in the lineup, expect Adebayo to struggle to score, and the return of Franz Wagner only helps Orlando's stout offense. The Heat has lost eight of the last ten games, so they haven't exactly been bringing their best game, and there's no reason to think that will change tonight.
