The Charlotte Hornets (44-38, 9th in East) take on the Orlando Magic (45-37, 8th in East) in the NBA Play-in Tournament on Friday. The winner will secure a postseason spot, while the loser will be eliminated.
The Hornets survived a close call in their first play-in game, defeating the Heat 127-126 in overtime thanks to 30 points and 10 assists from LaMelo Ball.
On the other side, the Magic had a disappointing 109-97 loss to a 76ers squad that didn’t even have Joel Embiid.
Read on to find out why the Hornets have the advantage over the Magic in this NBA Play-in Tournament matchup.
Hornets vs Magic Odds
All NBA odds used for these Hornets vs Magic best bets are current as of Thursday, April 16, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Moneyline: Hornets (-175) vs Magic (+145)
- Spread: Hornets -3.5 (-112) vs Magic +3.5 (-108)
- Over/Under: Over 218.5 (-108) / Under 218.5 (-112)
Hornets vs Magic Prediction
Hornets vs Magic Score Prediction: Hornets 113, Magic 103
The Hornets finished with the best ATS record in the NBA this season at 50-31. Meanwhile, the Magic came in at 37-43-1, one of the worst ATS marks in the league.
Charlotte remains one of the hottest teams in the NBA with a 28-10 record since January 22. They were able to survive the Heat in the first play-in game. Now, they’ll face a Magic squad that was extremely disappointing against the 76ers.
Despite playing with a full lineup, including Franz Wagner, Orlando lost 109-97 to a Philadelphia team without Embiid.
Even though they’re on the road, I give the Hornets the edge in this spot.
Hornets vs Magic Best Bets
Hornets -3.5 (-112) @ Magic
The Hornets dominated the Magic in their most recent matchups, winning 130-111 (March 19), 124-97 (January 22), and 120-105 (December 26). Two of those games were in Orlando.
I think the fact that the Hornets are road favorites speaks volumes here. The market projects them as the better team, and I tend to agree based on what we saw from Orlando against the Sixers.
It’s simply inexcusable to lose that game when you’re at full strength, and the other team is missing its best player.
Add in the fact that the Hornets have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA, and they’re the clear pick for me here. It wouldn’t surprise me to see a 10+ point win.
Back the Hornets as one of your best NBA bets today.
Hornets: Over 110.5 Points (-120) @ Magic
I’m riding with the Hornets to go over 110.5 points in this contest.
As mentioned above, Charlotte has scored 130, 124, and 120 points in its last three games against the Magic.
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On top of that, the Hornets have put up 111+ points in five of their last eight games.
With how well Ball is playing right now, fresh off a 30-point performance, I’ll bet that the Hornets eclipse this number against a Magic team that has allowed 111 or more points in three of its last five games.
