The Orlando Magic will look to put Tuesday's crushing loss behind them when they take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6 of their first-round series on Friday. Cleveland grabbed a 3-2 lead in this 2024 NBA playoffs series with a 104-103 win in Game 5. The 4-seed Cavaliers (48-34), who finished second in the Central Division, had won six of the last eight regular-season matchups with Orlando. The 5-seed Magic (47-35), who won the Southeast Division, were 29-12 on their home court during the regular season. Jarrett Allen (rib) is questionable for Cleveland, while Gary Harris (hamstring) is questionable for Orlando.
The game from the Kia Center in Orlando, Fla., will tip off at 7 p.m. ET. Orlando is averaging 101 points per game during the postseason, 12th-best in the league, while Cleveland averages 93.8, 14th-best. Orlando is a 3.5-point favorite in the latest Cavaliers vs. Magic odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 200.5. Before making any Magic vs. Cavaliers picks, be sure to check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
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 third week of the 2024 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 92-61 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,600. Anyone following the model has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Cavs vs. Magic and just locked in its NBA playoff predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Magic vs. Cavs:
- Cavaliers vs. Magic spread: Orlando -3.5
- Cavaliers vs. Magic over/under: 200.5 points
- Cavaliers vs. Magic money line: Orlando -173, Cleveland +145
- CLE: The Cavaliers have hit the fourth quarter Under in 48 of their last 78 games (+15.85 units)
- ORL: The Magic have won 31 of their last 43 games at home (+18.35 units on ML)
- Cavaliers vs. Magic picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Magic can cover
Forward Paolo Banchero has been on fire this postseason as in five games, he is averaging 24.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists. He has led or tied for the most points scored four times, in rebounding twice and in assists twice during the playoffs. He has also scored in double figures four times, reaching 20 or more points four times and 30-plus points twice, including a career playoff-high 39 points on Tuesday.
Also helping power Orlando is shooting guard Jalen Suggs. In five postseason games, he is averaging 14.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, three assists and 1.4 steals in 31.4 minutes. Suggs is coming off a 13-point, five-rebound and two-steal performance in the Game 5 loss at Cleveland. He poured in 24 points, while adding four rebounds, three assists and two steals in the 121-83 Game 3 victory on April 25. See which team to pick here.
Why the Cavaliers can cover
Shooting guard Donovan Mitchell has continued his strong play and is coming off a 28-point performance in the Game 5 win. He also added six rebounds, two assists and two steals. His best game was in Game 1, when he registered 30 points and added three steals, three assists and two boards. In the series, he is averaging 22.4 points, 4.4 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.8 steals. He is also getting it done at the free-throw line, connecting on 85.7% of his attempts.
With Allen uncertain for this game, point guard Darius Garland is ready to step up his offense. He did just that in Game 5, scoring 23 points, while adding five assists and five rebounds in 39 minutes. He has reached double-digit scoring in four of the five games in the series. In Game 2, he scored 15 points, while adding four assists and three rebounds. For the postseason, he is averaging 14.2 points, 5.8 assists and 3.4 rebounds in 33.2 minutes. See which team to pick here.
How to make Magic vs. Cavaliers picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 206 combined points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in almost 70% of simulations. You can only get the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Cavaliers vs. Magic, and which side of the spread cashes in almost 70% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Cavaliers 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.
