NBA

Magic vs. Cavaliers Betting Picks for Game 2

Zack Bussiere
Zack Bussiere@ZackBussiere

The Cleveland Cavaliers earned a 97-83 victory against the Orlando Magic in Game 1 on Saturday thanks to a 30-point performance from Donovan Mitchell.

Cleveland greatly benefited from a poor shooting night from a young Magic team that has little playoff experience. Orlando shot 32.6% from the field (28-86) and 21.6% from behind the arc (8-37). Both marks were significantly below their regular-season averages -- 47.6% from the field and 35.2% from three.

Tonight, Cleveland will look to notch a win in Game 2 and maintain home-court advantage heading into Game 3 in Orlando later this week. Let's take a look at the odds for Game 2 on FanDuel Sportsbook and see which bets stand out.

All NBA odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

NBA Playoffs Betting

Magic-Cavaliers Betting Odds

Date and Time: Monday, April 22nd, 7:00 p.m. ET

Spread: Cavaliers -5.5 (-110)

Total: 203

Moneyline:

  • Magic: +184
  • Cavaliers: -220

Magic vs. Cavaliers Advanced Stats Breakdown

nERD via numberFire. Adjusted offensive/defensive ratings and pace via DunksAndThrees.

  • Orlando Magic:
    • nERD: 57.0 (13t)
    • Adjusted Offensive Rating: 112.7 (22nd)
    • Adjusted Defensive Rating: 111.2 (3rd)
    • Pace: 97.2 (26t)
    • Against-the-Spread Record: 51-31
  • Cleveland Cavaliers:
    • nERD: 58.8 (10t)
    • Adjusted Offensive Rating: 114.6 (18th)
    • Adjusted Defensive Rating: 112.6 (7th)
    • Pace: 97.5 (24t)
    • Against-the-Spread Record: 39-42-1

Magic vs. Cavaliers Best Bets

Over 203.0 (-108)

While the poor shooting by Orlando was the main storyline from Game 1, the Cavaliers weren't much better. After a 33-point first quarter, the Cavaliers cooled off significantly. They wound up shooting 44.4% from the field (36-81) and 26.7% from behind the arc (8-30), going just 3 for 25 from deep after starting 5-5. Like the Magic, both those marks were well below the Cavs' season averages -- 47.9% from the field and 36.7% from three. They also committed 18 turnovers to the Magic's 12.

A low-scoring contest certainly wasn't unexpected. The strength of both these teams is their defense, and neither ranks inside the top 17 in adjusted offensive rating. Combined, the over hit in just 46.3% of the regular season games for Orlando and Cleveland, and both rank in the bottom seven in pace.

That said, in the four regular season clashes between Orlando and Cleveland, the over hit 75% of the time. The one game that went under -- a 104-94 Magic win in December -- looked similar to Game 1 as both teams struggled from behind the arc, shooting a combined 24.2% (16-66). In their two most recent matchupd before Game 1, Cleveland shot 45.5% and 52.6% from three, with Orlando shooting 56.0% and 37.9%.

I'm not expecting them to match those lofty shooting clips in a playoff atmosphere, but I'm also not expecting a repeat of their poor shooting numbers from Game 1. There is enough star power on both sides for the 203.0-point total to be within reach. As they showed in the first quarter of Game 1 and in three of their four meetings this season, these two sides can score despite the foundation for both being their excellent defense.

Donovan Mitchell Over 30.5 Points + Assists (-118)

Mitchell showed up in Game 1, recording 30 points, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds while shooting 11-21 from the field (52.3%) and 3-8 from behind the arc (37.5%).

He is averaging 32.7 combined points plus assists per game this season, slightly above his line of 30.5 for Game 2. At home, his combined points/assists average jumps to 36.3. In his three regular season games against Orlando this season, he averaged 34.6 points plus assists per game.

With memories of last season's disappointing first-round exit to the New York Knicks still fresh in the minds of Cleveland, I'm expecting the Cavaliers to maintain their focus in Game 2 and for Mitchell to continue to be at the center of it all.


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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.