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The Milwaukee Bucks will travel to take on the Orlando Magic in a Monday night NBA matchup at the Amway Center in Orlando. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our NBA odds series, which includes a Bucks-Magic prediction and pick, laid out below.
Milwaukee has dominated this season, going 16-6 and sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference. In their last five games, Milwaukee has won four games, including a 105-96 victory over Charlotte on Saturday. Hopefully the team avoided any serious injuries over the weekend.
Orlando has struggled to a 5-19 record, 15th place in the Eastern Conference. Nothing has gone right for the Magic this season, coming off a brutal season last year. An eight-game losing streak has all but sealed the team's fate to miss the playoffs this season as they continue to rebuild.
Here are the Bucks-Magic NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Bucks-Magic Odds
Milwaukee Bucks: -9.5 (-108)
Orlando Magic: +9.5 (-112)
Over: 225.5 (-110)
Under: 225.5 (-110)
Why The Bucks Could Cover The Spread
Giannis Antetokounmpo, who missed Saturday's game with a knee injury, is set to return to action. Antetokounmpo leads the team with 31.8 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. The Greek Freak is shooting 54.2 percent from the field, while Orlando has struggled to limit opponents' shooting. Opponents have shot 48.2 percent against Orlando.
Jrue Holiday, who also missed Saturday's game but should be back as well, leads the team with 7.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game, and ranks second with 18.4 points per game. Orlando has the fourth-highest amount of turnovers per game.
Bobby Portis, who has spent the majority of the season coming off the bench, is averaging a double-double with 13.7 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. While Orlando has not exactly cleaned up on the boards, they have allowed the third-fewest rebounds per game to opponents. Milwaukee ranks second averaging 48.4 rebounds and 6.4 blocks per game.
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Milwaukee is averaging 112.7 points per game, which ranks 15th in the league. The strong record for Milwaukee can be largely attributed to their defense, which allows just 108.0 points per game, third in the league.
Why The Magic Could Cover The Spread
First overall pick Paolo Banchero has acclimated himself well to the league, leading the team with 21.8 points per game, adding 6.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. Banchero has established himself as a building block in Orlando's future. Franz Wagner is second with 19.0 points per game.
Wendell Carter Jr. and Jalen Suggs are both out for this one, and their absences will be magnified. Bol Bol will be asked to pick up the rebounding slack with Carter out, ranking second with 7.7 rebounds while putting up 12.9 points per game.
Markelle Fultz has only played in three games this season, but the former first overall pick has dished out 4.7 assists per game and shot 44.0 percent from the field. Fultz's role likely will be diminished when Suggs returns, but he is more than capable of filling in. Milwaukee has struggled to force turnovers, while Orlando has struggled not to turn the ball over. Fultz has been slightly better in his limited time than Suggs in not turning the ball over.
Orlando has averaged just 107.8 points per game, which ranks 29th in the league. The defense has been better, allowing 114.4 points per game, which is 18th in the league. Perhaps the Magic can slow down the Bucks enough to cover a big spread.
Final Bucks-Magic Prediction & Pick
Even with the possible injuries, Milwaukee is a much better team than Orlando. Orlando's weak offense and Milwaukee's strong defense should result in a blowout in favor of the Bucks.
Final Bucks-Magic Prediction & Pick: Milwaukee -9.5 (-108), over 225.5 (-110)
