Early Odds for Charlotte Hornets-Orlando Magic Final Play-In Game Revealed

For the fifth time this season, the Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets will face off. The Hornets beat the Magic three times in 2025-26, with the only loss coming before the calendar flipped to 2026, which, as any Hornets fan will tell you, hardly counts.

In the wins, the Hornets hung an average of just under 125 points on the Magic. They won by an average of 20 points, and the total point differential, even with that opening loss, was +45. The Hornets did well against the Magic.

But in one-game playoff scenarios like this, that all goes out the window. We saw what a fairly mediocre Miami Heat team did in Charlotte on Tuesday, so the opponent hardly matters. What do the odds say?

Per FanDuel, the Hornets are favored once again, this time on the road. They were favored by 6.5 points over the Heat, and while Miami covered, Charlotte advanced. Here are the full odds:

Spread
Hornets -3.5 (-110)
Magic +3.5 (-110)
Moneyline
Hornets -172
Magic +144
Over/Under
Over 218.5 (-110)
Under 218.5 (-110)

So, based on that, the Hornets are expected to win another nailbiter, this one by a final score of 111-107. That would be the closest contest these two teams have played all season long. No game was decided by single digits.

Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) moves the ball past Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Magic have more experience than the Hornets, and they're at home. And as underwhelming as they've been, Desmond Bane, Paolo Banchero, and Franz Wagner can be a formidable trio when they're playing well.

The Hornets did prove on Tuesday that they can win close games, something they really struggled with in the regular season. They were 10-18 in clutch games, but they're 1-0 in clutch games since the regular season ended.

Like with Miami, all the metrics point to the Hornets being substantially better. Overall, the Hornets have the eighth-best net rating (fifth offense and 11th defense). Since January 1, they're first in the NBA.

The Magic have the 17th-best net rating. They're barely positive on the year at 0.6, while the Hornets sit at 4.9 despite a 4-14 and then 16-28 start to the season. These two teams are currently not in the same stratosphere.

That was true with Miami, and the odds suggest less of a gap between Charlotte and Miami than between Charlotte and Orlando. The Hornets are favored, but not by a lot.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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