The Orlando Magic have now lost four out of their last six games coming into their round one playoff matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road in this Saturday showdown at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. We take a look at this matchup to make a Magic-Cavaliers prediction and pick.

(Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)

Orlando Magic (47-35) head out on the road to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in their first round matchup in the NBA playoffs. The Magic hit a bit of a rough patch down the stretch heading into the playoffs losing four out of their last six games. They were at least able to end the regular season on a high note defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 113-88 giving them a bit of momentum heading into their first postseason matchup since the 2019-2020 season.

FanDuel

4.5/5

Use Magic @ Cavaliers FanDuel NBA Promo: Bet $5, get $200 in Bonus Bets

• User-friendly mobile app & website
• Low cost spreads
• Highly competitive odds

–

–

This Magic is spearheaded by their star forward Paolo Banchero who's averaging 22.6 ppg to go along with 6.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists. It will be up to Banchero to lead this Orlando Magic team on offense and players like Wendall Carter Jr., Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs to help them obtain a victory in Saturday's road matchup with the Cavaliers.

Cleveland's (48-34) matchup against the Orlando Magic presents a tough assignment for 4th seed in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers have been hit with the injury bug as the majority of the lineup is hobbled with injuries like Donovan Mitchell, Caris Lavert, and Darius Garland. However, all three players seem to be on track play in this first-round matchup it will be interesting to see if these players will be limited in this game.

When the Cavaliers are fully healthy they are one of the most dynamic teams in the NBA. Like the Magic, they hit a bit of a rough patch ending the regular season just 4-6 over their last 10 games. It's going to be up to Donovan Mitchell to get back to form and lead this Cavaliers team as they play host to the Orlando Magic in their first-round matchup of the NBA playoffs.

ORLANDO MAGIC VS. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS FANDUEL ODDS FOR ARR. 20

MONEY LINE

• ORLANDO MAGIC: +168
• CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: -200

SPREAD

• ORLANDO MAGIC: +5 (-112)
• CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: -5 (-108)

OVER/UNDER (TOTAL)

• OVER 207.5 (-108)
• UNDER 207.5 (-112)

BEST ODDS FOR ORLANDO MAGIC VS. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

DraftKings

4.5/5

DraftKings NBA Promo on Magic @ Cavaliers match: Get up to $1,000 Bonus Bets

• Great range of different sports leagues
• Optimal in-play betting features
• Easy to use app with fast payouts

–

–

• The Cleveland Cavaliers are -5-point favorites against the Orlando Magic. DraftKings currently has the best odds at -4.5 (-112)
• The Orlando Magic are the underdogs by 5 points to cover the spread. Bet365 and Hard Rock Bet currently have the best odds at +5 (-110)
• DraftKings currently has the best odds for the total, which is set at 207.5 (-110) for the over, and (-110) for the under

ORLANDO MAGIC VS. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS INJURY REPORT

ORLANDO MAGIC INJURY REPORT

• NONE

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS INJURY REPORT

• CRAIG PORTER JR. - OUT SAT - ANKLE
• SAM MERRILL - PROB SAT - NECK
• DARIUS GARLAND - PROB SAT - BACK
• CARIS LAVERT - PROB SAT - KNEE
• DONOVAN MITCHELL - PROB SAT - KNEE
• DEON WADE - OUT - KNEE
• TY JEROME - OUT - ANKLE

WHY ORLANDO MAGIC WILL COVER THE SPREAD

The Orlando Magic were looking like a team to watch out for as they make their playoff push and then they hit a SIX-game rough patch. They have now gotten back on track in a big way when they downed the Milwaukee Bucks by 25 points and are looking to make it 2 in a row when they take on the lowly Cleveland Cavaliers in this first-round matchup in the NBA playoffs.

The Magic were able to stop their three-game skid thanks to an all-around effort by their squad. Only their star forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner played 30 minutes on the night and they were the most impactful players on the court with a 26-point, 11 rebounds, 7 assists effort from Banchero and 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals from Wagner.

However, they played a cohesive unit with five of their players scoring in double figures as well.

Another solid outing like this can take it to the Cavaliers who are riddled with injuries to cover the spread in back-to-back games and potentially get their first win of the playoffs.

WHY CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL COVER THE SPREAD

The Cleveland Cavaliers sat the majority of their starters in the last game of the regular season to get them ready for their first-round matchup against the Orlando Magic. Before their most recent loss to the Charlotte Hornets, they were just 2-3 with just one lone win against a playoff team.

However, we can expect a full lineup from the Cavaliers led by star point guard Donovan Mitchell who's been averaging 26.6 ppg to go along with 6.1 assists, and 5.1 rebounds. While Mitchell must be at his peak to get past the Magic, the rest of this stacked Cavaliers lineup must come to play as well.

With the Cavaliers having one of the best frontcourts in the NBA with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley they will need to hanker down defensively in the paint as well as play the inside-out game well, which will open up the 3-point shooting from Max Strus and Darius Garland.

The Cavaliers have the playmakers to make this a tough game for the visiting Orlando Magic and as long as they stay efficient they can cover this spread at home and get their first win in the NBA playoffs.

FINAL MAGIC-CAVALIERS PICK & PREDICTION

The Cleveland Cavaliers certainly have what it takes to get the job done here against the Orlando Magic. However, this game should be closely contested throughout and the way that the Cavaliers are just 3-7 ATS over their last 10 games leads me to believe that they are going to have a tough time putting away the Magic and covering the spread down the stretch.

As for the Magic, they also didn't have an easy time coming into the playoffs but they are well-equipped to make this a tough and gritty game against the Cavaliers. While they may not win outright, I'd much rather take the points with a team that should be able to go tooth and nail with the Cavaliers on the road with also the potential of the upset.

When in doubt take the points with the Magic as they look to take it to the Cavaliers in this first-round matchup.

FINAL MAGIC-CAVALIERS PICK & PREDICTION: ORLANDO MAGIC +5 (-112)

To keep yourself updated on the newest happenings, be sure to check out our Betting News Section. We've organized all the updates so you can find all you need, in one convenient location.