The Atlanta Hawks (37-41) will visit the Orlando Magic (38-40) in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. The game will be broadcast live on NBA League Pass.
The Magic are 4-point favorites over the Hawks on the spread (Magic -4), with the over/under set at 225.5 total points. Orlando is a -165 favorite to win outright, while Atlanta is +140 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Hawks vs. Magic predictions and NBA picks for Tuesday, April 8.
Hawks vs Magic Prediction
There's a case for Atlanta here, as the away team has covered the spread in both games this season. Atlanta is 7-3 in the last 10 games in this series, and with the visiting team prevailing in each of the previous two meetings, the Hawks are an intriguing option with odds as high as +140.
However, the total piques my interest the most at 225.5. Orlando has the perfect combination of a great defense and poor offense that under bettors tend to love.
My Pick: Under 225.5
Hawks vs Magic Odds, Picks, Spread
| Hawks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4 -110 | 225.5 -110o / -110u | +140 |
| Magic Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4 -110 | 225.5 -110o / -110u | -165 |
- Hawks vs. Magic spread: Magic -4
- Hawks vs. Magic over/under: 225.5 total points
- Hawks vs. Magic moneyline: Hawks +140, Magic -165
- Hawks vs. Magic best bet: Under 225.5 (-110)
My Magic vs. Hawks best bet is on the Under at 225.5 total points, 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.
Atlanta Hawks vs Orlando Magic NBA Betting Preview
You'd have to go back to Nov. 27 to find the last time the Magic had a total in this price range of 225 points. For a team with an average total on the year of 213.8, 225.5 seems like quite a big jump. Moreover, despite having the lowest average total, Orlando is still the second most profitable team for under bettors at 46-32 (59%).
Season-ending injuries to Jalen Suggs (16.2 PPG) and Moritz Wagner (12.9 PPG) made a struggling offense ever more pedestrian. Yet, Orlando still occupies the highest seed for the play-in tournament. Effort is the minimum requirement under head coach Jamahl Mosley, who continues to push his team even at this stage of the season, with a play-in berth already secured.
Over its last 10 games, Orlando is 7-3, which includes victories over the Cavaliers, Lakers and Kings. And although all three of those teams rank 12th or higher offensively, with Cleveland at No. 1, none of those games finished with a combined score of 225 points.
The Magic do a tremendous job of ensuring opponents play at their pace, as they rank dead last in tempo, averaging 96.44 possessions per game. Orlando can also dictate play by forcing the opposition off the 3-point line. It allows the fewest 3-point attempts (31.0)— 3.6 fewer than the Rockets, who rank second. By limiting their attempts, Orlando also allows the fewest 3-point field goals (11.4).
While the Hawks rank 19th offensively, they tend to play more uptempo to get easier scoring opportunities on the break. That strategy is unlikely to work against a Magic team that boasts the fifth-best transition defense.
There's still a chance these teams will face one another in the play-in tournament, and it wouldn't surprise me if both coaches run more of a vanilla offense without all the bells and whistles. As a result, we're in a great spot to take a shot at this game finishing under the total.
Hawks vs Magic Betting Predictions
Although we're targeting a play on the under, I've spotted a Hawks' player prop that offers value despite being inversely correlated. Atlanta's Zaccharie Risacher has a points + rebounds + assists (PRA) prop of 16.5, which falls below his season average of 17.25 with a median of 17.
What's interesting is that Risacher hasn't quite lived up to the hype as the overall No. 1 pick, and his splits suggest that he's been able to play more freely when on the road, away from the pressures at home.
The French native has a PRA of 19.1 on the highway compared to 15.7 when playing in front of his home fans. His field goal percentage on the road (49.2%) is considerably higher than at home (40.6%), along with his perimeter (37.5% vs. 31.9%) and free throw shooting (76.1% vs. 68.6%).
As a result, Risacher is covering this PRA line of 16.5 in 74% of his away games this season. Given the situational spot, this line should probably be higher even against a quality defensive team like Orlando.
The combination of Risacher exceeding his PRA prop of 16.5 and the game staying under 226 points would give us +275 odds on our same game parlay.
Hawks vs Magic Best Bet
- Under 225.5 (-110)
Hawks vs Magic Parlay Picks
- Zaccharie Risacher Over 16.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists
- Under 226 (Alternate Total)
Parlay Payout: +265
Magic vs. Hawks Betting Trends
