Best Bet: Orlando Magic To Miss The Playoffs +170
Worst Bet: Orlando Magic To Win The NBA Championship 100:1
The 2018-19 Orlando Magic finished with a record of 42-40 which was the 7th best record in the Eastern Conference and was good enough to win the Southeast division last season. They didn’t really lose anyone in free agency in the off season nor did they add anything significant as they waived Timofey Mozgov and signed Al-Farouq Aminu and Josh Magette.
Orlando has one of the lowest scoring teams last season ranking 25th in the NBA in points per game with 106.44, they averaged 25.17 assists per game which ranked 13th in the NBA and ranked 18th in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game with 10.00. Nikola Vucevic led the team in scoring and offensive rebounds with 1,665 points and 224 offensive rebounds. D.J. Augustin led the team in assists with 426. Orlando will have their top 5 scorers back this season, but they were one of the lowest scoring teams in the NBA last season and without a significant add in the off season that likely isn’t going to change.
The Magic were one of the better teams defensively last season which led to them being above .500 and winning the Southeast division. They allowed an average of 106.60 points per game which ranked 5th in the NBA, they ranked 12th in the NBA in defensive rebounds per game with 35.30 and averaged 6.62 steals per game which ranked 26th. Nikola Vucevic led the team in defensive rebounds and steals with 736 rebounds and 81 steals. Jonathan Isaac led the team in blocks with 98. The Magic will return all the key players from one of the best defensive teams in the NBA last season so a repeat could be in store defensively for Orlando.
Orlando Total Wins O/U 41.5 Wins
The Orlando Magic finished last season with 42 wins and Vegas has them once again projected from an odds perspective to finish about .500. The Orlando Magic have a good defensive team and that should help them to finish around that mark again this season. However, Miami and Atlanta both helped their teams improve in the offseason this year and that may not be a good thing for a team that didn’t really improve their team in the offseason at all instead finished with a very average offseason as they didn’t lose anyone or sign anyone significantly. The Magic finished last season with 42 wins and although this team didn’t take a step back other teams in the division took a step forward namely Atlanta and Miami and as a result that will hurt the Magic and I don’t see the Magic finishing above the 41.5 wins this season.
Orlando To Make The Playoffs: Yes -200 No +170
The Orlando Magic finished last with the 7th best record in the Eastern Conference and won the Southeast division so the betting public will likely be on the Magic making the playoffs this season especially since they didn’t lose anyone in the offseason that was a major contributor for the team. However, they aren’t the favorites in the division last season according to Vegas as the Heat are the favorites and I also look at the Hawks as a better team with the moves they made in the offseason. The Magic didn’t take a step back as much as teams in the Eastern Conference took a step forward and as a result I don’t see the Magic being a playoff team this season and I look for the price of +170 of them missing the playoffs as the best bet to make on the Magic this season.
Orlando To Win The Southeast Division: +200
The Orland Magic won the Southeast division and with the team not losing any significant pieces that were contributors for the division champions. The team should still be one of the better teams defensively again this season but they didn’t add anything significantly to help one of the lower scoring teams in the NBA last season but other teams in the division did make improvements on their teams that should move them past the Magic as Vegas has the Heat as a better team than the Magic from an odds perspective and I also look for the Hawks to be improved as well. Even though on paper the Magic stood pat on terms of talent other teams in the division did not and I look for it to be hard for the Magic to repeat as division champions again this season and I would stay away from this bet unless you believe the Heat and Hawks didn’t get better and the additions of Aminu and Magette to make the Magic better which if that is the case the +200 price looks like value.
Orlando To Win The Eastern Conference: 33:1
The Orland Magic are a middle of the pack team in the Eastern Conference and may struggle to stay in playoff contention this season despite having an offseason in which they stood pat from a talent perspective. The other teams in the conference made improvements though with the Celtics, Nets, Bucks and 76ers are being clearly better teams in the conference and the Heat and arguably the Hawks being better in the division this season it’s hard to imagine the Magic leapfrogging anyone in the conference and becoming a contender in the Eastern Conference this season. Despite being the reigning division champions as well as a playoff team last season it’s hard to imagine the Magic winning the Eastern Conference and even though the 33:1 may look like a good value I would still stay away from making a play on the Magic winning the conference this season.
Orlando To Win The NBA Championship: 100:1
The Orlando Magic will be in playoff contention this season, but I don’t think they will make the playoffs this season even though they bring back basically the same team they had last year. They aren’t on the level of the top teams like the 76ers, Bucks and Celtics in the Eastern Conference and they aren’t on the same level as the top teams in the NBA either. I don’t see Orlando making the playoffs and as a result I can’t recommend making a play on the Magic to win the NBA championship this season either.
