On Wednesday, the depleted Orlando Magic are set to take on the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Orlando snapped a seven-game losing streak by earning a win over the Brooklyn Nets a few nights ago, and the team is now hoping to find a way to earn back-to-back wins for the first time all year. Fortunately for the Magic, the Hawks will be without Trae Young in this game.
Can Orlando find a way to pull the upset here? Keep reading our NBA betting picks and predictions for Magic vs. Hawks to find out.
Magic vs Hawks odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
The Hawks were 8.5-point favorites when this line first became available, but we’re now seeing the Magic getting 7.5 or 8 no matter where you look. The total is also moving rather significantly, with the number opening at 215 and dropping all the way down to 211 in some places. It can, however, be found at 211.5 or 212.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until tip-off and be sure to check out the full NBA odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
Magic vs Hawks predictions
Predictions made on 12/22/2021 at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Magic vs Hawks game info
• Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
• Date: Wednesday, December 22, 2021
• Tip-off: 7:30 p.m. ET
• TV: BSSE-ATL, BSFL
Magic vs Hawks betting preview
Injuries
Magic: Mo Bamba C (Out), Michael Carter-Williams G (Out), Cole Anthony G (Questionable), Wendell Carter Jr. C (Questionable), Terrence Ross G (Out), Moritz Wagner C (Out), RJ Hampton G (Out), Ignas Brazdeikis F (Out), E’Twaun Moore G (Out), Jalen Suggs G (Out), Markelle Fultz G (Out), Jonathan Isaac F (Out).
Hawks: Trae Young G (Out), Danilo Gallinari F (Out), Clint Capela C (Out), Solomon Hill F (Out), De’Andre Hunter F (Out).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Hawks are 0-7 ATS in their last seven games as a home favorite. Find more NBA betting trends for Magic vs. Hawks.
Magic vs Hawks picks and predictions
Our predictions are compiled from the analysis of the spread and total and are indications of where we are leaning for this game.
Our best bet is the play that we like the most for this game, which we would actually put some of our bankroll behind.
Spread analysis
The Magic are coming off of a surprising victory over the Nets, and they’ll now look to find a way to stay competitive with the Hawks tonight. The line on this game is actually somewhat surprising, as Atlanta is not going to be the same team without Young. Sure, Orlando is dealing with a plethora of absences, but the team does have a solid enough group of players to compete.
Franz Wagner, who is one of the most impressive two-way players we’ve seen at his age, should be a load for the Hawks to handle in this game. Wagner is a solid shooter and knows how to use his length and athleticism to get to the rim. He should be able to turn in a good performance offensively in this game, as we have seen him score at least 20 points in three of the last five games. However, it’s the defensive end where he can also really make a mark. Wagner plays the passing lanes at an elite level and has the length to cover multiple positions. With him and Chuma Okeke defending the wing, the Hawks might not be able to run their offense at a high level.
It’s worth noting that Gary Harris is beginning to look like the guy he was in Denver recently. The guard is averaging 14.0 points per game on 49.4 percent shooting from the floor and 43.2 percent shooting from deep in the month of December. The fact that he has turned back into a legitimate 3-and-D guy means that Atlanta has a tough player to deal with on both ends of the floor.
Overall, the Magic are dealing with a lot right now, but they are being forced to play more players that care about defense. That should help them against the Hawks, as this should be a low-scoring game.
Prediction: Magic +8 (-110)
Over/Under analysis
The Magic have gone Under in four of their last five games coming into this one, and their meeting with the Nets was an absolute battle. The teams combined to score only 193 points in that December 18 showdown, and a lot of that has to do with Orlando having more defensive-minded players on the court with some of their COVID-related absences. Now, the Magic play the Hawks without one of the best guards in the league.
With Young out, the Hawks could really struggle to get things going offensively, making this yet another Magic game that could resemble the grind-it-out style we used to see in the ’90s and early 2000s.
It’s also worth noting that three of the last four meetings between these two teams have gone Under the total. And at the same time, the Under is 25-15 when Atlanta has played as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points over the last two seasons.
Prediction: Under 212 (-110)
Best bet
Orlando might not seem like a great play on any given night, but Atlanta is going to have some trouble playing without Young. The star guard is at the center of everything that the Hawks do offensively, and they could be lost without him. On top of that, Atlanta is playing an Orlando team that should be rather solid defensively until some of its offensive-minded players return to the lineup.
The Hawks also happen to be just 3-5 ATS since the start of December. They’re also 0-7 ATS in their last seven games as a home favorite.
Pick: Magic +8 (-110)
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