Magic and Heat Square off with Division Lead Up for Grabs
Heat vs Magic NBA Odds: Miami Remains -270 Division Favorite
Nearing the halfway point of the NBA regular season, the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat are in a deadlock atop the Southeast Division with matching records of 21-16. Injuries have begun to muddy the outlook for both teams, but enough time remains for them to assert themselves in the Eastern Conference.
The next opportunity to do so will come Friday (8 p.m. ET) when they square off at Kaseya Center in Miami. This is the second of four meetings between the teams this season, with the Heat holding a 1-0 edge over their Sunshine State rivals.
Miami opened as a 3.5-point favorite and -155 on the moneyline, with Orlando +130 to win outright. The projected total is 219.5, the lowest of any game on Friday’s slate.
What can bettors expect? Read on as we break down both teams and assess the Heat vs Magic NBA odds.
Orlando Magic at Miami Heat 
Date, time:
Location: Kaseya Center; Miami
Streaming: Live Sports Stream
Betting Trends
The Orlando Magic are 25-12 ATS, including 12-7 away from home. Orlando is also 17-19-1 against the Over/Under but has gone Over the total in 10 of its 19 road games. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat are 17-20 ATS, including just 6-11 at home. The Heat have gone Over the total in 11 of their 17 home games but are 18-19 overall in that market.
Be sure to keep that in mind when assessing the Heat vs Magic NBA odds.
Injuries Mounting for Surging Magic
The Orlando Magic have been one of the biggest surprises in the NBA’s first half, but is their success sustainable? Orlando has lost nine of its last 14 games coming off a 113-92 loss to Minnesota on Tuesday in which it trailed by as many as 34.
Orlando heads into Friday tied with Miami atop the Southeast Division. Despite that, oddsmakers remain skeptical of the Magic’s staying power. The Magic are +215 to win the division and have the eighth-longest Eastern Conference odds of +6000.
Building off his impressive debut, reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero is averaging a team-high 22.9 points on 45.8% shooting to go with 7.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists. But Franz Wagner, Orlando’s second-leading scorer (20.9), has missed the last three games since sustaining a right ankle sprain during a double-overtime loss to Sacramento on Jan. 3. Wagner’s return date is unknown.
Complicating matters, the Magic are dealing with a slew of other injuries. Gary Harris (hamstring), Wendall Carter Jr. (knee), Joe Ingles (ankle), and Jonathan Isaac (hamstring) are all questionable and could leave the Magic particularly thin for Friday. Remember to keep an eye on the injury report regarding the Heat vs Magic odds.
Orlando has been especially profitable for bettors, going 25-12 ATS. Its 67.6% cover rate is the second-highest in the NBA, trailing only Oklahoma City (68.6%). The Magic have covered the NBA spread in eight of their last 11 games.
Miami Yet to ‘Heat’ Up
The Heat are coming off a 128-120 loss to Oklahoma City on Wednesday and have dropped four of their last six games to fall into a tie atop the Southeast Division. Miami remains a -270 favorite to win the division, but it’s starting to look a bit vulnerable.
Like Orlando, Miami is dealing with its share of injuries. Star Jimmy Butler (toe) missed Wednesday’s loss and is questionable for Friday, along with Kyle Lowry (hand) and Caleb Martin (ankle). Butler, a six-time All-Star, is averaging 21.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists. Tyler Herro (22.4) leads Miami in scoring.
Miami, which surprisingly won the East last season as a No. 8 seed, is +1400 to return to the NBA Finals. The Heat are also +2800 to win it all, one of 10 teams with better than 30/1 odds.
The Heat are 10-7 at Kaseya Center but have covered in just six of those games. They’ve been far more reliable for bettors on the road, where they are 11-9 ATS. Conversely, the Heat have gone Over the total in 11 of their 17 home games, including three straight.
Handicapping the Game
When making your NBA game predictions, it’s important to consult the injury report. Both teams could be compromised, especially if the likes of Wagner, Butler and Lowry don’t play.
Miami had the upper hand in the teams’ first meeting, winning 115-106 on Dec. 20 in Orlando. With Butler out, the Heat leaned on Herro, who scored 28 points. The Heat shot 15 of 29 from 3 while holding Orlando to 9 of 36.
Orlando has dropped seven straight in Miami and is just 2-9 in its last 11 games against the Heat. The Magic are significantly improved, but they may need their full complement of starters to finally get an edge.
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