Magic vs. Hornets Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Thursday, Oct. 30

The Hornets are home underdogs on Thursday.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is a solid prop target on Thursday. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets are coming off a blowout loss to the Miami Heat on Tuesday night as they look to get back over .500 in a divisional matchup with the Orlando Magic.

This is the second night of a back-to-back for Orlando, as it lost once again on Wednesday against the Detroit Pistons (on the road). The Magic are taking some time to mesh with their new core now that Desmond Bane is in the fold, but oddsmakers still expect them to contend for a top spot in the Eastern Conference.

Charlotte has been up and down this season, beating Washington and Brooklyn while losing to the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami. Orlando is clearly a step up in class from the Wizards or Nets, but the Hornets did win their lone home game so far in the 2025-26 campaign.

Let’s take a look at the latest odds, my favorite prop bet and a prediction for this Eastern Conference battle. 

Magic vs. Hornets Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Magic -2.5 (-115)
• Hornets +2.5 (-105)

Moneyline

• Magic: -148 
• Hornets: +124

Total

• 240.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Magic vs. Hornets How to Watch

• Date: Thursday, Oct. 30
• Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
• Venue: Spectrum Center
• How to Watch (TV): FanDuel Sports Network (Local)
• Magic record: 1-4
• Hornets record: 2-2

Magic vs. Hornets Injury Reports

Magic Injury Report

• Not submitted yet

Hornets Injury Report

• Josh Green – out
• Brandon Miller – out
• Drew Peterson – out
• Antonio Reeves – out
• KJ Simpson – out
• Grant Williams – out

Magic vs. Hornets Best NBA Prop Bets

Hornets Best NBA Prop Bet

• LaMelo Ball OVER 14.5 Assists and Rebounds (-104)

This season, LaMelo Ball has picked up 15 or more rebounds and assists in three of his four games, tallying 10, 18, 26 and 17 heading into this matchup with the Magic. Orlando had a stout defense in the 2024-25 season -- ranking second in defensive rating -- but it is just 23rd in defensive rating so far this season.

Ball has a penchant for stuffing the stat sheet, and he's averaging 12.0 rebound chances and 13.5 potential assists per game this season. He's coming off an eight-rebound, nine-assist outing in under 29 minutes in a blowout loss to the Miami Heat earlier this week.

If Ball and the Hornets can keep this game close -- they are only 2.5-point underdogs -- he should easily push 15 or more rebounds and assists on Thursday.

Magic vs. Hornets Prediction and Pick

Orlando is just 1-4 in the 2025-26 season, and now it has a tough road back-to-back against a Hornets team that is 13th in the NBA in net rating this season. 

The Magic are just 26th!

It’ll be interesting to see if anyone is on the injury report for the Magic on Thursday after a tough loss to Detroit on Wednesday night. 

Meanwhile, the Hornets are home dogs – likely because Brandon Miller is out – but are 3-1 against the spread this season. 

Orlando’s offense remains a major work in progress, and it has losses to Detroit, Philly, Chicago and Atlanta this season while failing to cover the spread against the Heat in its opener. The Magic are one of two teams that are 0-5 against the spread, and I’m not buying them as a road favorite on Thursday.

I think Charlotte can keep this game close and is live to pull off an upset at home. 

Pick: Hornets +2.5 (-105 at DraftKings)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

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