The Golden State Warriors and Orlando Magic will face off for the first time this season tonight. The Warriors lost to the Heat in Miami on Tuesday night 116-109 as -1.0 road favorites and a total of 225.5, while the Magic played the Thunder Tuesday night on the road and lost 116-108 as 3.5-point dogs in a game with a total of 216.5.
This line has opened with Golden State as 7.5-point road favorites and early money is on Golden State, who is now -9.5. The total opened at 225 and has moved to 226.5. The Warriors will remain without Donte DiVincenzo (hamstring) and Andre Iguodala (hip) for Thursday’s game. The Magic list Cole Anthony (oblique), Gary Harris (knee), Jonathan Isaac (hamstring), Markelle Fultz (toe) and Moritz Wagner (foot) as out for Thursday’s contest. Terrence Ross (knee) will carry a questionable tag. Bettors should head to DraftKings Sportsbook to tail the following Warriors-Magic odds and predictions.
Best Warriors-Magic Odds & Predictions
Warriors Off to Disappointing 3-5 Start
In a season that looked like the Warriors had a strong shot to repeat as NBA Champions, they have gotten off to a poor start going 3-5, losing three straight and four out of their last five games. They are 0-4 on the road and in the midst of a five-game road trip with an average score of 110-124 (-14).
Golden State is just 2-6 against the spread, 6-2 on the over and 4-4 on their team total. They are 4-0 on the over on their team totals at home, but 0-4 on their team totals on the road.
Offense has never been an issue with the Warriors, as they are averaging 117.5 points per game, ranking fourth. Defensively, they are just 29th out of 30 at 121.2 points per game.
They are 15th in offensive rating, 24th in defensive rating and just 26th in adjusted net rating. Defense is a serious issue for this team right now as well as the number of fouls they are committing versus their opponents (third most).
Magic Dealing With Injuries and 1-7 Start
The Magic are just 1-7 on the season, but they are 27th in adjusted offensive rating, 13th in adjusted defensive rating and 21st overall. They are 0-6 on the road and 1-1 at home starting this seven-game homestand tonight. They have covered both home games against the spread as +1.5 dogs against the Hornets (113-93) and as +8.5 dogs against the Celtics (120-126). The Magic have been led by the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft, Paulo Banchero, who is averaging 21.8 points per game, 7.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
Final Odds & Pick
Until we see the Warriors start to improve on the defensive end, it is impossible to lay nine points on the road with this team, especially with the early results that we have seen. On the Magic side, even though their record is 1-7, their schedule has been tough with the majority of their games on the road. They have played middle of the pack defensively and can give teams fits with their size, but they are without Anthony and Ross, which will impact their scoring tonight.
Warriors-Magic Pick: Magic +9.5; Additional Bet: UNDER 226.5 (DraftKings)
