The Orlando Magic host the New York Knicks in an intriguing Eastern Conference tilt on Thursday. Orlando is playing solid basketball, posting a 25-23 record in the last 48 games, and the Magic are 30-43 overall this season. New York is on the second night of a back-to-back after falling to the Miami Heat on Wednesday. Jalen Brunson (hand) and Mitchell Robinson (knee) are questionable for the Knicks, while Orlando is without Jalen Suggs (concussion) and Jonathan Isaac (adductor).
Caesars Sportsbook lists New York as a 2.5-point road favorite, and tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 227 in the latest Knicks vs. Magic odds. Before locking in any Magic vs. Knicks 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 four-plus seasons. The model enters Week 23 of the 2022-23 NBA season on a stunning 69-36 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,900. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Knicks vs. Magic and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the NBA lines and trends for Magic vs. Knicks:
- Knicks vs. Magic spread: Knicks -2.5
- Knicks vs. Magic over/under: 227 points
- Knicks vs. Magic money line: Knicks -145, Magic +122
- NYK: The Knicks are 6-3-2 against the spread with no rest
- ORL: The Magic are 19-17 against the spread in home games
- Knicks vs. Magic picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Knicks can cover
New York's offense is one of the best surprises of the season in the NBA. The Knicks are in the top six of the league in efficiency, scoring 1.16 points per possession, and New York crushes on the offensive glass. That includes more than 31% of missed shots gathered by New York, and the Knicks average more than 16 second-chance points per game. New York is in the top five of the NBA in turnover rate (13%) and free throw creation, and Orlando is last in the league in 2-point defense with opponents shooting 57.1% inside the arc.
On defense, the Knicks lead the league in allowing fewer than 46 points in the paint per game. New York is also in the top six of the NBA in field goal percentage allowed, 3-point percentage allowed, and fast break points allowed. The Knicks should also benefit from an Orlando offense that ranks No. 24 or worse in the league in offensive rating, assist-to-turnover ratio, 3-point percentage, assists per game and turnovers per game.
Why the Magic can cover
Orlando has highly improved on defense this season, including encouraging metrics in key categories. The Magic are in the top 10 of the NBA in turnover creation with 14.8 takeaways per game. Orlando is also in the top 10 in 3-point defense (35.3%), points allowed in the paint (48.2 per game), defensive rebound rate (73.0%), and second-chance points allowed (13.2 per game). The Magic are also above-average in free throw prevention, yielding 23.2 attempts per game, and Orlando has potential edges against New York's offense.
The Knicks are below-average in field goal percentage, 3-point percentage, and free throw percentage. In addition, New York is dead-last in the NBA in assists, averaging fewer than 23 per game. On offense, the Magic produce 25.3 free throw attempts per game, boosting overall efficiency, and Orlando is prolific on the glass. Orlando is securing 28.1% of available offensive rebounds, and the Magic are in the top 10 of the league with 14.4 second-chance points per contest.
How to make Magic vs. Knicks picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 230 combined points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in well over 60% of simulations. You can get the model's picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Knicks vs. Magic? And which side of the spread hits in well over 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up nearly $2,900 on all top-rated NBA picks this season, and find out.
