The Los Angeles Lakers (9-7) and Orlando Magic (10-4) will meet in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 10:30 p.m. ET from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. The game will broadcast live on NBA League Pass.
The Lakers are 5.5-point home favorites over the Magic on the spread (Lakers -5.5), with the over/under set at 216.5 total points. Los Angeles is a -225 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Orlando is +180 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Lakers vs Magic predictions and NBA picks for Thursday, November 21.
Magic vs. Lakers Prediction, Pick
Spread
I lean toward the Magic at the current number. The Lakers are just 2-5 against the spread this season as a favorite of 5.5 or more points.
Moneyline
Although Los Angeles is the better side on the moneyline, with odds as high as -245 in the market, including the Lakers in a same game parlay would be a better option.
Over/Under
The under is worth a look here at 218 or better. Orlando's 104.2 Defensive Rating is second-best in the league, and my model projects a total closer to 216 points.
Same Game Parlay Pick
- Lakers Moneyline (-225)
- Alternate Total – Under 225 (-245)
- Austin Reaves Over 21.5 Points + Assists (-115)
Payout: +300 (DraftKings)
Magic vs Lakers Odds
| Magic Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5.5 -110 | 216.5 -110 / -110 | +180 |
| Lakers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5.5 -110 | 216.5 -110 / -110 | -225 |
- Magic vs Lakers spread: Lakers -5.5
- Magic vs Lakers over/under: 216.5 points
- Magic vs Lakers moneyline: Lakers -225, Magic +180
Magic vs. Lakers Preview
There's a lot of buzz around this Lakers team that's off to an excellent 10-4 start. Even with LeBron James approaching his 40th birthday next month, the Lakers still rank in the top-half (13th) of the league in terms of youth, with an average player age of 25.4 years.
The Lakers are even young in the head coaching department, with JJ Redick making his debut at the age of 40. Redick has been able to infuse plenty of fresh ideas as someone who studied the league closely from his days as a player and then an analyst with ESPN.
As a former player, Redick fully understands the importance of communication. From his first day on the job, he made it abundantly clear that the offense would run through Anthony Davis. As a result, we're seeing Davis average a career-high in scoring with 30.7 points per game — six more points than in his previous campaign.
With Davis being aggressive inside the paint and commanding more double teams, the Lakers can create better spacing on the floor by surrounding him with shooters. Dalton Knecht has been a revelation for the Lakers, as the Tennessee product is coming off a 37-point effort while tying the NBA's single-game rookie record with nine 3-pointers.
Redick recently inserted Knecht into the starting lineup, and since then, he has been averaging 24.3 points over four games.
Overall, the Lakers' 118.1 Offensive Rating is the fourth-best mark in the league after finishing 15th last season with a value of 115.4.
Magic vs. Lakers Prediction
Orlando is in a difficult spot with today's game behind its second in back-to-back nights, and third in the last four days, while the Lakers will have a one-day rest advantage after last playing on Tuesday.
Moreover, Orlando is just 2-7 on the road with a -5.9 Net Rating compared to +17.4 at home. And with the Lakers owning a robust record of 7-0 at home, they're well-positioned to take advantage of Orlando's poor form on the road.
Nonetheless, Orlando still has the sixth-best Defensive Rating (109.4) away from home, but it ranks 28th offensively in this spot (103.5). That combination should help keep the scoring from getting out of hand.
Another angle that offers value in this matchup is to back Lakers' point guard Austin Reaves to exceed his points + assists prop of 21.5. Reaves is one of those players who tends to feed off the home crowd, as his scoring average increases to 19.4 points at home vs. 16.4 on the road.
He's also averaging an additional assist per game at home (6.0 vs. 4.9). Reaves has exceeded this projection in six straight home games, averaging 27 points + assists, with a median of 25.5 during that stretch.
A combination of the Lakers moneyline, an alternate under with some insurance at 225, and Reaves to exceed 21.5 points + assists yields 3-to-1 on our DraftKings same game parlay.
Same Game Parlay
- Lakers Moneyline
- Alt Total – Under 225
- Austin Reaves Over 21.5 Points + Assists
Payout: +300
Magic vs. Lakers Betting Trends
