The Brooklyn Nets visit the Orlando Magic for an Eastern Conference tilt on Tuesday, March 15. Brooklyn is on a three-game winning streak, improving to 35-33 this season. Orlando is 2-1 in the last three games, though the Magic have struggled to an overall record of 18-51 in 2021-22. Jalen Suggs (ankle) and Gary Harris (knee) are listed as questionable for the Magic. Ben Simmons (reconditioning), LaMarcus Aldridge (hip), and Joe Harris (ankle) are out for the Nets. Cam Thomas (back) and Seth Curry (ankle) are listed as questionable for Brooklyn.
Tipoff is at 7 p.m. ET in Orlando. Brooklyn is a 9.5-point favorite, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 231 in the latest Nets vs. Magic odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Before making any Magic vs. Nets picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer model.
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 three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 21 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 78-48 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning over $2,400. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Nets vs. Magic, and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and trends for Magic vs. Nets:
- Nets vs. Magic spread: Nets -9.5
- Nets vs. Magic over-under: 231 points
- BKN: The Nets are 18-23-2 against the spread in conference games
- ORL: The Magic are 21-22 against the spread in conference games
Featured Game | Orlando Magic vs. Brooklyn Nets
Why the Nets can cover
Brooklyn’s offense is clearly more explosive and effective than Orlando’s offense. The Nets are scoring nearly 1.12 points per possession for the full season, and Brooklyn is the NBA’s best offensive team on the road, putting up 115.9 points per 100 possessions. The Nets are in the top six of the NBA in both field-goal percentage (46.9 percent) and free-throw percentage (79.8 percent). Brooklyn is above-average in assists per game (25.0), fast break points per game (13.0), second-chance points per game (13.6) and offensive rebound rate (27.6 percent), and Orlando struggles mightily on offense.
The Magic are second-worst in the NBA in offensive rating, putting up only 1.04 points per possession. Orlando is in the bottom four of the league in offensive rebound rate, field-goal percentage, 3-point percentage and free-throw creation, and the Magic are No. 25 in the NBA in turnover rate.
Why the Magic can cover
Orlando should benefit from Brooklyn’s porous defense. The Nets are No. 22 in the NBA in defensive rating, giving up more than 1.12 points per possession. Brooklyn is the league’s second-worst defensive rebounding team and, while the Nets are prolific on offense, they have glaring weaknesses on the other end. Orlando is in the top 10 in assist rate, generating an assist on 61.3 percent of field goals, and the Magic are also in the top 10 of the NBA in free-throw accuracy at 79.1 percent.
On defense, Orlando uses size to deter opponents, and the Magic are No. 6 in the league in points allowed in the paint (44.4 per game). The Magic are in the top 10 in 2-point accuracy allowed at 52.2 percent, and Orlando is very good on the defensive glass, securing 73.3 percent of available rebounds. The Magic are also stout in transition, giving up only 11.8 fast break points per game to opponents.
How to make Nets vs. Magic picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the total, projecting 227 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in almost 70 percent of simulations. You can only see the model’s Magic vs. Nets pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Nets vs. Magic? And which side of the spread hits in almost 70 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Nets vs. Magic spread you need to jump on Tuesday, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
