The Los Angeles Lakers (43-27) will visit the Orlando Magic (33-38) in the NBA this evening. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET from the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. The game will broadcast live on NBA TV.
The Lakers are 4-point road favorites over the Magic on the spread (Lakers -4), with the over/under set at 215 total points. Los Angeles is a -175 favorite to win outright, while Orlando is +145 to pull off the upset.
Let's get to my Lakers vs. Magic predictions and NBA picks for Monday, March 24.
| Lakers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4 -110 | 215 -110o / -110u | -175 |
| Magic Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4 -110 | 215 -110o / -110u | +145 |
- Lakers vs. Magic spread: Lakers -4
- Lakers vs. Magic over/under: 215 total points
- Lakers vs. Magic moneyline: Lakers -175, Magic +145
- Lakers vs. Magic best bet: Lakers -4 (-110)
My Magic vs. Lakers best bet is on Los Angeles to cover the spread, with the best line currently available at Fanatics. But as always, make sure to shop for the best line using our live NBA odds page.
My Pick: Lakers -4
Los Angeles Lakers vs Orlando Magic NBA Preview
The Lakers face off against the Magic as both teams jockey for playoff positioning. The Lakers sit in fourth place in the West while the Magic try to escape the play-in tournament. Let's dive into this matchup.
The Magic have been decimated by injuries this season. Jalen Suggs is done for the season, and Cole Anthony (toe) is questionable for this matchup. However, they have had Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero back for a while, which helps the team overall.
One of the interesting quirks is that the minutes with Paolo on the floor without Franz are an overall negative. Wagner is the player that makes the Magic a threat. With only Franz on the floor, Orlando is +7.93. However, with only Paolo, they are -10.14, per pbpStats.
The Lakers are looking to bounce back after a brutal loss to the Bulls, but they are a bit healthier now. They have listed Rui Hachimura (knee – questionable) and LeBron James (groin – probable) on the report, but both played the last game, and this is not a back-to-back.
Luka Doncic has been tremendous, although one of the issues the Lakers are dealing with is integrating Doncic with LeBron James. The minutes with both on the floor are positive (+2.51); however, when it's just Luka without LeBron, the Lakers absolutely cook with a +18.57 Net Rating, per pbpStats.
The Magic's overarching issue is that they simply cannot score. Over the last two months, they have had the 24th-ranked offense and were carried by the sixth-best defense.
The Lakers are not fully formed at this point, but they have been surprisingly good against the spread with a 39-30-1 ATS record. The Magic have been brutal, especially as an underdog where they are just 11-19-1 ATS.
I'll back the Lakers here with a fairly healthy squad against an Orlando team that has struggled to score. For my same game parlay, I'll combine Luka 25+ points, Luka 6+ assists, and LeBron 6+ rebounds for a payout of +115.
Lakers vs Magic Betting Prediction
- Lakers -4 (-110)
Lakers vs Magic Same Game Parlay
- Luka Doncic 25+ points
- Luka Doncic 6+ assists
- LeBron James 6+ rebounds
Parlay Payout: +115
Magic vs. Lakers Betting Trends
