The Portland Trail Blazers are beginning to look like a basketball team, taking down the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this week for a fifth win in six games, and now they’ll look to keep it going against a slumping Orlando Magic team.
Orlando’s fallen considerably on defense while Portland’s shown some maturity on that end, and our Magic vs. Trail Blazers predictions will key in on why the home side is well-equipped to take advantage of the soft spots on the floor.
Let’s dig into some NBA player props and hand out some NBA picks on Thursday, January 30.
Magic vs Trail Blazers prediction
My best bet
Trail Blazers +5.5 (-110 at bet365)
My analysis
It seems the reintroduction of Paolo Banchero to this Orlando Magic team has yet to make a grand impact. A team that struggled after he went down with an injury early on and only briefly looked to be putting it all together has continued to look flat, and it’s particularly concerning given the purported depth that this team has.
I’m starting to think this team simply isn’t very good or is at least well off the great season it had a year ago. This offense has never been a great one, anyway, and in the last two weeks sits third-to-last in scoring efficiency while the defense has dropped to 20th in that time.
Defense was the anchor for Orlando a season ago, and without it a game against an ever-improving Portland Trail Blazers team is going to be tough.
Portland, in a twist, is sixth defensively over the last 14 days, and while its offense has been up and down, things could soon be looking up with the return of Donovan Clingan. This is a team that continues to rank near the top of the league in shot frequency at the rim, and while its production has fluctuated, the Magic should offer little resistance with the eighth-worst rim defense in the last two weeks.
The big thing here is that Clingan can help mask the defensive issues of Deandre Ayton inside, and we’ve seen Portland dominate inside on that end ever since the rookie returned. Ayton brings a ton to this offense, meanwhile, and when both have been healthy, the potential has been evident.
Orlando has ranked second worst in the last two weeks in rim scoring, a notable figure given its stress on shooting from in close, and even though it doesn’t shoot a ton from outside, it’s also going to bring the second-worst 3-point attack into a game against a Top-10 perimeter defense over that same span.
Portland is making noticeable improvements on defense and on the glass, so in a positive matchup offensively, it should be getting a bit more love at home.
Magic vs Trail Blazers same-game parlay
Trail Blazers +5.5
Deandre Ayton Over 23.5 points + rebounds
Deni Avdija Over 17.5 points
Our parlay here will be all about the Trail Blazers and hyper-focused on interior scoring, given opponents’ shots against the Magic of late have been extremely concentrated to the rim.
Ayton will be our first target, going for 14+ points in four straight games and averaging 12.3 rebounds over that time. He seems to be all healed from injury at long last, picking right back up where he left off with 21 points and 14 rebounds in 34 minutes last time out, and he’s well-positioned to burn this weak Magic frontcourt defense and a team that's begun to fall rather steeply on the glass.
Deni Avdija is another guy who’s taken a good dose of shots inside, ranking in the Top 20% of all forwards. Still, he’s also proven to be a capable outside shooter, which should come in handy given Orlando’s allowed nearly 41% shooting from 3 in the last two weeks.
Avdija has never been more important to the Trail Blazers, playing 38 minutes across his last two games and coming off a season-high 18 shot attempts in the win over the Bucks. He's now eclipsed this mark in three straight, and there shouldn’t be anything stopping him from doing so again.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Magic vs Trail Blazers odds
Magic vs Trail Blazers live odds
Magic vs Trail Blazers opening odds
- Spread: Orlando -4.5 | Portland +4.5
- Moneyline: Orlando -205 | Portland +175
- Over/Under: Over 211 | Under 211
Odds courtesy of bet365.
Magic vs Trail Blazers spread and Over/Under analysis
- This line seemed destined to close heavier than the opener of 4.5 with a quick jump to 5.5, but we’ve seen the number bounce back down to five points twice on Thursday.
- The Trail Blazers make up 55% of the spread tickets and 54% of the handle.
- The total jumped up a full point upon opening, but it seemed to hit its ceiling of 213.5 as the number quickly dipped back down a point on Thursday afternoon.
- The Over has accounted for 71% of the handle wagered on the total and 73% of the bets.
Magic vs Trail Blazers trend
The Trail Blazers have hit the first-quarter Under in 41 of their last 59 games (+21.55 units / 32% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Magic vs. Trail Blazers.
How to watch Magic vs Trail Blazers
| Location | Moda Center, Portland, OR |
| Date | Thursday, 1-30-2025 |
| Tip-off | 10:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | KATU, FDSN - Florida |
Magic vs Trail Blazers latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
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