NBA Picks & Predictions: Magic vs. Pistons (Wednesday)
There are only two NBA games being played on Wednesday. The Detroit Pistons will look to avenge a Game 1 loss to the Orlando Magic. While I expect the Pistons to even the series, below I explain why I think the Magic are going to make things difficult for them. Then, I highlight why I expect the Oklahoma City Thunder to dominate the Phoenix Suns again. Here are the best NBA picks and bets for Wednesday, April 22’s game Magic vs. Pistons.
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NBA Picks & Predictions: Magic vs. Pistons (Wednesday)
Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
Orlando Magic +8.5 (-102)
Was Game 1 a fluke, or are the Magic a legitimate threat to the Pistons? While the Magic are just the No. 8 seed, I do think that people forget how well they played down the stretch. After losing eight of 10 games in late March and early April, the Magic rattled off five consecutive wins before dropping the season finale 113-108 to the Boston Celtics. And while the Play-In game against the Philadelphia 76ers was ugly, the Magic dominated the Charlotte Hornets for the No. 8 seed, and played outstanding in Game 1 against the Pistons.
After how the Magic played in Game 1, the only reason I believe this spread is so large is that this series is a 1 vs. 8 matchup. But the Magic have been competitive with the Pistons all season. They went 2-2 against them in the regular season, and while they've scored 112 or fewer in three of the five meetings, they've also held the Pistons to 109 or fewer in four consecutive games. In a low-scoring game, I'll back the underdog against a large spread.
Detroit Pistons Under 113.5 (-105)
For the record, I think the Pistons are going to win this game and even the series at 1-1. But, based on everything I just said when picking the Magic at +8.5, I see the Pistons once again struggling against the Magic's stifling defense.
The Magic finished the regular season with the 13th-best scoring defense, allowing just 115.1 points per game. Including all three of their postseason games, the Magic have allowed more than 113 points in just one of their last eight games.
And while the Pistons finished the regular season with the eighth-best scoring offense, they averaged just 4.3 more points than their Game 2 projected total. They scored 135 points against the Magic earlier this season, but that performance came on Oct. 29. Since then, they haven't reached 110 at Orlando.
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Phil Wood is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Phil, check out his archive and follow him @Phil_Wood_Jr.