The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Orlando Magic in Game 1 of their first round matchup in the Eastern Conference playoffs on Saturday. The Magic earned the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket, but ended the regular season by dropping three of their last four games. They did beat the Milwaukee Bucks 113-88 in their regular season finale on Sunday. Meanwhile, Cleveland locked up the No. 4 seed in the East and won two of their last three games heading into the postseason. On April 12, the Cavs topped the Indiana Pacers 129-120.
Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. The Cavaliers are 4.5-point favorites in the latest Magic vs. Cavaliers odds from SportsLine consensus. The over/under for total points is 207.5. Before making any Cavaliers vs. Magic picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters the 2024 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 88-58 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,600. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Magic vs. Cavs and just locked in its picks and NBA playoff predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Cavs vs. Magic:
Magic vs. Cavaliers spread: Cleveland -4.5
Magic vs. Cavaliers over/under: 207.5 points
Magic vs. Cavaliers money line: Cleveland -192, Orlando +161
ORL: The Magic are 51-31 against the spread this season.
CLE: The Cavaliers are 39-43 against the spread this season.
Magic vs. Cavaliers picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Magic can cover
Forward Paolo Banchero is impactful in several ways for the Magic. Banchero is a smooth playmaker and high-end finisher around the rim. He has the ball handles to get past defenders consistently. The 2022 first-overall pick logs 22.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. He dropped 26 points, 11 boards and seven assists in his last outing.
Forward Franz Wagner brings another nice scoring threat to the frontcourt. Wagner owns the instincts to be disruptive defensively with the athleticism to finish around the rim with ease. The Michigan product averages 19.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He had 25 points, five rebounds and three assists in his last outing. Wagner notched 20-plus points in five of his last six games. See which team to pick here.
Why the Cavaliers can cover
Guard Donovan Mitchell is the Cavs’ best player and after missing some time late in the season, he’s declared himself 100% health. The 27-year-old slashes to the rim and can rise over defenders with no problem. He averaged 26.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game. On April 12 against the Indiana Pacers, Mitchell finished with 33 points, four boards and five assists.
Center Jarrett Allen provides the Cavaliers with an active presence in the lane. Allen uses his length to be disruptive as a defender but also piles up rebounds. The Texas product can operate in the low post and takes high-percentage looks. Allen averaged 16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and shoots 63.4% from the field. On April 12 versus the Pacers, he had 29 points and 13 boards. See which team to pick here.
How to make Magic vs. Cavaliers picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 216 points. The model also says one side hits in 70% of simulations. You can only see the model’s pick and analysis at SportsLine.
So who Magic vs. Cavaliers, and which side hits in 70% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Cavs vs. Magic spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has returned more than $2,600 on its NBA picks this season, and find out.