Eastern Conference opponents face off at Madison Square Garden on Monday as the New York Knicks welcome the Orlando Magic to town. New York is 1-1 to begin the campaign, with Orlando aiming for its first win at 0-3 overall. Jalen Suggs (ankle), Markelle Fultz (toe), Gary Harris (knee), and Jonathan Isaac (knee) are out for the Magic, with Quentin Grimes (foot) ruled out for the Knicks.
Caesars Sportsbook lists New York as a 7.5-point home favorite, and tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 222.5 in the latest Knicks vs. Magic odds. Before you make any NBA predictions with the Magic vs. Knicks match-up, 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 four seasons. The model enters Week 2 of the 2022-23 NBA season on a stunning 91-63 on all top-rated NBA picks that dates back to last season, returning more than $2,100. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Knicks vs. Magic and locked in its NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Magic vs. Knicks:
- Knicks vs. Magic spread: Knicks -7.5
- Knicks vs. Magic over/under: 222.5 points
- Knicks vs. Magic money line: Knicks -305, Magic +240
- ORL The Magic are 22-21 against the spread in the last 43 road games
- NYK: The Knicks are 17-25 against the spread in the last 42 home games
- Knicks vs. Magic picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Magic can cover
Orlando is young and talented, with intriguing strengths on both sides of the floor. The Magic are shooting 52.8% from 2-point range this season, a solidly above-average mark, and No. 1 draft pick Paolo Banchero is off to a strong start. Banchero is averaging 23.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game, and he is a physical and imposing talent.
On defense, the Magic are fantastic on the glass, securing 74% of missed shots this season, and Orlando is blocking 6.3 shots per game in 2022-23. Opponents are shooting only 49.4% from 2-point range this season, and the Magic were above-average in field goal percentage allowed and 2-point percentage allowed last season. Orlando is also adept at keeping opponents away from the free throw line, yielding fewer than 23 attempts per game this season.
Why the Knicks can cover
New York is pesky on defense, with Tom Thibodeau bringing a reputation for elite defensive strategy. The Knicks allowed only 1.1 points per possession last season, and New York was in the top six of the league in defensive rebound rate (74%), 3-point percentage allowed (34.2%) and field goal percentage (44.7%) during the 2021-22 campaign. On offense, New York had tangible strengths last season, including a 29.1% offensive rebound rate and 24.1 free throw attempts per game.
The Knicks are also off to a flying offensive start in 2022-23, and the numbers paint that picture in effective fashion. New York is averaging 121 points per game and 28.5 assists per game this season, and the Knicks are giving up only 12 turnovers per contest. New York is also producing 14.5 offensive rebounds per game, with seven players averaging at least 10 points per game, including 19.5 PPG from Julius Randle.
How to make Magic vs. Knicks picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Under on the total. It also says one side of the spread hits in well over 60% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Knicks vs. Magic? And which side of the spread hits well over 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
