Magic vs. Cavaliers NBA expert prediction and odds for Thursday, Feb. 22 (Cavs stay hot?)
Betting odds, pick and prediction for the Cleveland Cavaliers' matchup with the Orlando Magic on Thursday night.
By Peter Dewey
The Cleveland Cavaliers probably never wanted the All-Star break to come.
The team has lost just three times since the start of 2024, moving to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference in the process.
Now, the Cavs are looking to move to 3-0 on the season against Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic, who come to Cleveland for the second time this season on Thursday.
Orlando holds the No. 8 spot in the East, and it entered the break on a nice run as well, winning seven of its last 10 games.
However, the team has struggled with the Cavs this season, losing by 10 in the first meeting in Cleveland before suffering a 27-point blowout loss in Orlando.
With Evan Mobley and Darius Garland now healthy, the Cavs are hoping they have a little extra on Thursday night.
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Let’s examine the latest odds and my best bet for this Eastern Conference battle:
Magic vs. Cavaliers odds, spread and total
Magic vs. Cavaliers how to watch
- Date: Thursday, Feb. 22
- Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
- Venue: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
- How to watch (TV): Bally Sports Ohio, Bally Sports Florida
- Magic record: 30-25
- Cavs record: 36-17
Magic vs. Cavaliers injury reports
Magic injury report
- Jalen Suggs – day-to-day
- Markelle Fultz – day-to-day
- Gary Harris – day-to-day
Cavs injury report
- Ty Jerome – out
- Sam Merrill – day-to-day
- Dean Wade – day-to-day
Magic vs. Cavaliers key players to watch
Orlando Magic
Paolo Banchero: An All-Star this season, Banchero has put together two very different showings against the Cavs this season. He scored 42 points on 16-of-26 shooting in the first meeting between these teams, but then dropped just 18 in the second meeting. With Evan Mobley back for the Cavs, this could be a tough matchup for Banchero on both ends.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Donovan Mitchell: The Cavs have one of the best records in the NBA and Mitchell is a massive reason why, carrying the team with Darius Garland and Evan Mobley ailing earlier this season. In the month of February, Mitchell is averaging 29.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. He has 35-point and 25-point games against Orlando this season.
Magic vs. Cavaliers prediction and pick
Orlando didn’t have to face the Cavs with Mobley and Garland in the last meeting with these teams, and that could be a problem for the up-and-coming Magic on Thursday.
Cleveland would have covered this 7.5-point spread in both of the earlier meetings between these teams, and the Cavs are an impressive 11-9-1 ATS as home favorites in the 2023-24 campaign.
Orlando has been a great team to bet on in nearly every spot, posting the best ATS record in the NBA to this point in the season, but the Magic are vulnerable as road underdogs, going 13-10 ATS in that spot.
Even with Orlando winning seven of its last 10 games and posting the ninth best net rating in the NBA over that stretch (+3.6), Cleveland has significantly outperformed the team, posting a net rating of +12.7 over that same period.
I lean with the Cavs to cover the 7.5 points at home.
Pick: Cavs -7.5 (-110)
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.
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