Trail Blazers vs. Magic Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Thursday, Jan. 23

The Magic are 27-18 to the UNDER so far in the 2024-25 season.

The Magic are 27-18 to the UNDER so far in the 2024-25 season. / Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Are reinforcements on the way for the Orlando Magic?

Paolo Banchero and company have dropped four games in a row, slipping into the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, but they’ve upgraded forward Franz Wagner to questionable on Thursday night against the Portland Trail Blazers. Wagner has not played since early December due to an oblique injury.

Orlando’s offense has fallen off a cliff with Wagner and Banchero both missing significant time this season, ranking just 29th in the NBA.

Still, oddsmakers have set the Magic as sizable favorites against the 15-28 Blazers. Portland has won two games in a row, including an upset over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night. However, it does have several players listed as questionable (Anfernee Simons, Deandre Ayton, Kris Murray, Toumani Camara) as well as a couple ruled out (Donovan Clingan, Taze Moore, Matisse Thybulle) on Thursday.

If you’re looking to bet on this game, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s a full breakdown of the latest odds, injuries, player props to bet, and my game prediction for this interconference battle. 

Trail Blazers vs. Magic Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Blazers +8 (-108)
• Magic -8 (-112)

Moneyline

• Blazers: +275
• Magic: -345

Total

• 212 (Over -105/Under -115)

Trail Blazers vs. Magic How to Watch

• Date: Thursday, Jan. 23
• Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
• Venue: Kia Center
• How to Watch (TV): Bally Sports Florida, Rip City TV Network
• Blazers record: 15-28
• Magic record: 23-22

Trail Blazers vs. Magic Injury Reports

Blazers Injury Report

• Deandre Ayton – questionable
• Toumani Camara – questionable
• Taze Moore – out
• Donovan Clingan – out
• Kris Murray – questionable
• Anfernee Simons – questionable
• Matisse Thybulle – out

Magic Injury Report

• Gary Harris – questionable
• Franz Wagner – questionable
• Jalen Suggs – out
• Moritz Wagner – out
• Goga Bitadze – doubtful
• Cole Anthony – questionable
• Mac McClung – out
• Jett Howard – questionable
• Jonathan Isaac – questionable

Trail Blazers vs. Magic Best NBA Prop Bets

Portland Trail Blazers Best NBA Prop Bet

• Anfernee Simons OVER 2.5 3-Pointers Made (-135)

This prop has some risk since the Orlando defense has given up the fewest 3-pointers made per game, but Simons has been on fire from beyond the arc over his last 12 games.

Over that stretch, Simons has at least three made shots from deep in 10 games, shooting 45.0 percent from 3. He’s attempting 9.3 shots from deep per game over that stretch, averaging 4.2 makes per game.

With the Blazers desperate for offense (26th in offensive rating), Simons should get all the looks he can handle again tonight. 

Orlando Magic Best NBA Prop Bet

• Franz Wagner OVER 4.5 Rebounds (-125)

If Wagner returns tonight, I like his rebound prop for Orlando. The Magic forward may be on a minutes limit, but he’s averaging 5.6 rebounds per game this season – well above where his prop line is set on Thursday.

Wagner also had at least five boards in 14 of his 20 games from Nov. 1 through his injury, averaging 6.0 rebounds per game over that stretch. He should be able to get on the glass against a Portland squad that is just 22nd in the NBA in opponent rebounds per game this season. 

Trail Blazers vs. Magic Prediction and Pick

I do lean with the Magic if Wagner returns for this game, but I think the best bet on Thursday comes on the total.

Orlando is an elite defense, ranking No. 4 in the NBA in defensive rating and No. 2 in opponent points per game. With the Magic struggling on offense (29th in offensive rating), they’ve been an elite UNDER team (27-18) this season, posting the third-best UNDER record in the league.

Not only that, but the Magic are dead last in the NBA in pace, so they’re going to try to slow this game to a crawl on Thursday and force Portland to play in the half-court. The Blazers have been a struggling offense as well this season, ranking 26th in offensive rating. 

Portland is also just a middling team in terms of tempo (16th in pace), so I do think Orlando can control the cadence of this matchup. The Magic have also scored fewer than 212 combined points in 10 of their 14 games since Dec. 26.

None of those games finished with more than 215 combined points. So, with two poor offenses facing off, 212 feels a little high for this total. 

Pick: UNDER 212 (-115)

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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.