Magic vs. Warriors: 3 Best Bets

The Orlando Magic continues its road trip out west as they take on Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. The Magic got out-shot in their most recent game by the Phoenix Suns, and the Warriors offer a similar challenge.

Orlando’s defense has wavered a bit recently, allowing their opponent to score 110 points or more in four of the last five games. Golden State runs an efficient offense that scores 116.8 points per game, so perimeter defense will be a priority for Orlando tonight.

Kevon Harris, Jonathan Isaac, and Joe Ingles are all out for the Magic, and Markelle Fultz is questionable. Draymond Green is still serving a suspension, but he is the only Warrior not playing tonight.

Check out our three best bets for the game tonight, with the lines provided by SI Sportsbook.

The Lines

Point spread: Warriors -3.5 (-110)/Magic +3.5 (-118)

Moneyline: Warriors (-154)/Magic (+125)

Over/under: 230.5

Our Picks

Safe pick: Franz Wagner OVER 23.5 points (-118)

Franz Wagner has scored over this line in his last six games, and the Warrior’s defense won’t have an answer for him tonight. In that six-game span, Wagner is only shooting 30 percent from deep but he is making his shots from pretty much everywhere else on the floor. With Green out, the Warriors still have a solid, but not great, defense. Wagner should be able to exploit it and get to his spots.

Opponent pick: Klay Thompson UNDER 15.5 points (-110)

At this point, it’s safe to say that Thompson has lost a step. His 16.7 points per game is the lowest he’s posted in a decade, and he is not the shooter he once was. He’s still elite from deep, to be clear, but Orlando’s young defense is simply too fast for Thompson to get loose to catch-and-shoot like he used to. Over his last three games, he is averaging only 8.3 points. Take Thompson’s under.

Paolo Banchero Happy to See Wendell Carter Jr. Return

Team pick: Magic to win (+125)

The Warriors, outside of Curry, are removed from the team that won the title in 2022. They are even more removed from the dynasty that went to five straight NBA Finals, but sportsbooks are either still nostalgic or afraid to write off any Curry-led team. The Warriors are riding a three-game losing streak, and they won’t be able to snap it against a younger team.