Knicks vs. Magic prediction, odds, line, spread, start time: 2023 NBA picks, March 23 bets by proven model
Eastern Conference foes match up at Amway Center on Thursday evening. The Orlando Magic host the New York Knicks, with Orlando entering at 30-43 this season. The Magic have won two of their last three games and are 17-19 at home in 2022-23. New York (42-31) arrives on the second night of a back-to-back after losing a Wednesday night game in Miami, and the Knicks are 2-0 against the Magic this season. New York’s injury report is undetermined on the back-to-back, with Orlando operating without both Jalen Suggs (concussion) and Jonathan Isaac (adductor) on Thursday.
Tipoff is at 7 p.m. ET in Orlando. Caesars Sportsbook lists New York as a 3-point road favorite, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 229.5 in the latest Knicks vs. Magic odds. Before locking in any Magic vs. Knicks picks, be sure to check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection 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 four-plus seasons. The model enters Week 23 of the 2022-23 NBA season on a stunning 69-36 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,900. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Knicks vs. Magic and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are the NBA lines and trends for Magic vs. Knicks:
- Knicks vs. Magic spread: Knicks -3
- Knicks vs. Magic over/under: 229.5 points
- Knicks vs. Magic money line: Knicks -155, Magic +130
- NYK: The Knicks are 6-3-2 against the spread with no rest
- ORL: The Magic are 19-17 against the spread in home games
- Knicks vs. Magic picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Knicks can cover
New York’s offense is one of the best surprises of the season in the NBA. The Knicks are in the top six of the league in efficiency, scoring 1.16 points per possession, and New York crushes on the offensive glass. That includes more than 31% of missed shots gathered by New York, and the Knicks average more than 16 second-chance points per game. New York is in the top five of the NBA in turnover rate (13%) and free throw creation, and Orlando is last in the league in 2-point defense with opponents shooting 57.1% inside the arc.
On defense, the Knicks lead the league in allowing fewer than 46 points in the paint per game. New York is also in the top six of the NBA in field goal percentage allowed, 3-point percentage allowed, and fast break points allowed. The Knicks should also benefit from an Orlando offense that ranks No. 24 or worse in the league in offensive rating, assist-to-turnover ratio, 3-point percentage, assists per game and turnovers per game.
Why the Magic can cover
Orlando is led by a pair of dynamic young forwards in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Banchero is averaging 20.0 points and 6.6 rebounds per game this season, and he is the frontrunner for the 2022-23 NBA Rookie of the Year award. Banchero is averaging 22.0 points per game in the last nine outings, and he is flanked by a highly prolific partner in Wagner, who is averaging 18.7 points per game on 59.0% true shooting.
Orlando’s offense leans on its force, with the Magic ranking in the top 10 of the NBA with 25.3 free throw attempts per game. The Magic are also above-average on the offensive glass, securing 28.1% of available rebounds and producing 14.4 second-chance points per game. Orlando is also facing a New York defense that is very conservative in nature, leading to the Knicks posting a bottom-five mark in the league in turnovers created per game.
How to make Magic vs. Knicks picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 230 combined points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in well over 60% of simulations. You can get the model’s picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Knicks vs. Magic? And which side of the spread hits in well over 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up nearly $2,900 on all top-rated NBA picks this season, and find out.
Source: CBSSports.com
