The Orlando Magic will try to extend their six-game winning streak as they visit the Los Angeles Clippers at the Intuit Dome on Wednesday night.
Orlando is one of the hottest teams in basketball, and I’m picking it to continue that momentum tonight in my Magic vs. Clippers predictions.
Keep reading below to see why I like Orlando and all my other plays in my free NBA picks for Wednesday, November 20.
Magic vs Clippers prediction
My best bet
Magic -3.5 (-110 at bet365)
My analysis
After a poor start to the season and the loss of star Paolo Banchero to an oblique injury, things were looking bad for the Orlando Magic, but they've now won six straight and are rolling thanks to the combination of one of the better defenses in the NBA and the outstanding play of Franz Wagner.
Wagner is the easier part of the equation to analyze. Since Banchero went down, he’s become the top scoring option and has averaged 25.4 ppg in November. That number has only gotten higher during the six-game winning streak, during which time Wagner is averaging 29.0 ppg.
Orlando has also been playing like an elite defense. Whether it’ll keep it up as the schedule gets tougher remains to be seen, but a 103.9 defensive rating — second only to the Thunder — is an impressive mark nonetheless. The Magic also have the highest defensive rebounding percentage in the league (74.7%) and give up just 9.8 second-chance points per game, by far the lowest number in the NBA.
The Magic have also seen several support players step up in the absence of both Banchero and center Wendell Carter Jr., who last played on November 3. Jalen Suggs (14.9 ppg) has been a key contributor, while Goga Bitadze (7.9 ppg) has stepped in at center to provide consistent scoring and steady defense near the rim.
Orlando will need all those contributions to deal with a Los Angeles Clippers team that's riding a two-game winning streak. L.A. won both legs of a back-to-back against the Jazz and the Warriors on Sunday and Monday and remains in the middle of a tightly packed Western Conference.
However, the Clippers will be without Norman Powell on Wednesday as he's recovering from a left hamstring strain. He's averaging 23.3 ppg on the year and has been shooting 48.7% from 3-point range, a number that would have put pressure on the Orlando defense to defend the whole court.
Los Angeles is still a capable team, especially with James Harden (20.1 ppg) able to pick up some of that scoring slack without Powell in the lineup. The Clippers also play good defense — their 109.7 defensive rating ranks seventh in the NBA — and have the size and athleticism to challenge Orlando on the boards.
However, everything the Clippers do well, the Magic do better, and Orlando’s defense looks almost unstoppable at the moment. This would be a different game with Powell involved, but given the lineups we’ll be watching tonight, Orlando's the play.
Magic vs Clippers same-game parlay
Magic -3.5
Over 204.5
Franz Wagner Over 27.5 points
The Magic have been playing well with Franz Wagner as the focal point of the offense, and I expect Orlando to follow that same path to victory tonight. I’m taking Orlando to win and combining it with the Over, as both of these teams typically play to totals higher than the very modest 205.5 total being offered tonight.
I’ll also take Wagner to hit the Over on his point total at 27.5. Wagner has been outstanding as of late and is scoring more in Banchero’s absence, going for at least 29 points in each of his last four games.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Magic vs Clippers odds
Magic vs Clippers live odds
Magic vs Clippers opening odds
- Spread: Orlando -1.5 | Los Angeles +1.5
- Moneyline: Orlando -120 | Los Angeles +100
- Over/Under: Over 207.5 | Under 207.5
Odds courtesy of bet365.
Magic vs Clippers spread and Over/Under analysis
- These teams have similar records against the spread this season, with Orlando going 8-7 ATS and Los Angeles holding an 8-6-1 ATS mark.
- The Clippers covered in both meetings last season.
- The Under has a 10-5 record in Los Angeles’ games this year and a 9-6 mark when Orlando has played.
- The Magic are playing to an average total of 209.1 ppg, while the Clippers are averaging a total of 218.3 ppg.
Magic vs Clippers trend
The Magic are 6-0 ATS in their last six games overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Magic vs. Clippers.
How to watch Magic vs Clippers
| Location: | Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA |
| Date: | Wednesday, 11-20-2024 |
| Tip-off: | 10:30 p.m. ET |
| TV: | FanDuel Sports Network - SoCal, FanDuel Sports Network - Florida |
Magic vs Clippers latest injuries
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