Injuries have kept the Orlando Magic too far down in the Eastern Conference standings to nurture bigger dreams, like those the Cleveland Cavaliers enjoy.
Impressively, Cleveland has not eased off the gas pedal despite being six games clear of the Celtics in No. 2 in the East.
My Cavaliers vs. Magic predictions and NBA picks expect those trends to continue, with Cleveland continuing to surge its way into the season’s homestretch. The tip comes at 7:30 ET on Tuesday, February 25.
Cavaliers vs Magic prediction
My best bet
Cavaliers -7.5 (-110 at bet365)
My analysis
Maybe Victor Wembanyama’s season-ending blood clot has been a boon for the Cleveland Cavaliers. That sounds rather absurd; there should be no connection between the two.
But Wembanyama was effectively a lock to win the Defensive Player of the Year. He will now fall short of the 65-game minimum needed to qualify for such a postseason honor, pushing Cleveland forward Evan Mobley into shared frontrunner status with Memphis center Jaren Jackson Jr.
It would only be natural for that award to serve as an active incentive for Mobley. It would not impact his contract for some time, but it could set him up for a heftier payday at the end of the decade, a la Jackson’s hope of securing a supermax contract on the back of two DPOY honors. Nonetheless, Mobley would certainly appreciate the validation and honor of the award.
Is that why Cleveland’s defensive rating has fallen to 107.3 in the last three games from 112.6 in the two months prior? There is certainly a sample size worry in that wonder, but regardless, the two-bucket shift warrants notice.
By no coincidence, the Cavs have gone 2-0-1 against the spread in that stretch, furthering what has become a 4-0-1 ATS stretch and a seven-game outright winning streak.
At some point, Cleveland should ease up. Holding off the Thunder for homecourt advantage through the playoffs is not worth the fatigue of winning at this rate, a 68-win pace. But the Cavs have not eased up yet. While the Orlando Magic remain down two key pieces in Jalen Suggs and Mo Wagner, trust Cleveland’s renewed urgency as it benefits from Evan Mobley’s award chase.
Cavaliers vs Magic same-game parlay
Cavaliers -7.5
Over 222
Evan Mobley Under 0.5 threes
Praising Cleveland’s improved defense while taking the Over in this game may seem counterintuitive, but it is an endorsement of the Cavaliers setting the terms tonight. Five of their last six games have gone Over their totals, fitting with a season-long trend of cashing Overs in two-thirds of their games. Both aspects of that thought conflict with Orlando, which has cashed five straight Unders and the Under in 62.7% of its games this season.
Chalk that up to pace, the Magic ranking No. 28 in pace since Jan. 18, a month of games given the week off for the All-Star Break.
Adding in doubt of Mobley hitting a 3-pointer while including the game’s Over in this same-game parlay, jumps this payout to +1,000 from +264. That escalation alone underscores value. But then realize Orlando has given up the fewest attempted threes per game in the last month, just 30.8, meaning Mobley probably will not hoist his usual handful.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
Cash your ML bets quicker with bet365's early win payout
Take advantage of the early win payout at bet365, where any pre-game NBA moneyline bet gets paid out as a winner if your team goes up by 20+ points!
Learn more about this feature, and all of bet365's offerings, with our comprehensive bet365 review.
21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Cavaliers vs Magic odds
Cavaliers vs Magic live odds
Cavaliers vs Magic opening odds
- Spread: Cleveland -5.5 | Orlando +5.5
- Moneyline: Cleveland -220 | Orlando +180
- Over/Under: Over 225.5 | Under 225.5
Odds courtesy of bet365
Cavaliers vs Magic spread and Over/Under analysis
- The Cavs opened as mere 5.5-point favorites on Monday evening, climbing to -6 by the end of the night and then -7.5 by sunrise.
- Both Cleveland and Orlando hosted Memphis this week. There were eight points of difference in those two spreads, largely aligning with this -7.5.
- This total opened at 225.5 and fell consistently in the overnight, dropping to 222.5 by sunrise and then slipping to 222 early on Tuesday afternoon.
Cavaliers vs Magic trend
The Magic are 3-6 against the spread as underdogs of at least two buckets in the last two months. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Magic.
How to watch Cavaliers vs Magic
| Location | Kia Center, Orlando, FL |
| Date | Tuesday, 2-25-2025 |
| Tip-off | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | TNT, truTV, max |
Cavaliers vs Magic latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
