by Chuck Sommers
Tuesday, Dec 06, 2022
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Venue: Amway Center, Orlando, FL
Where to watch: BSSC, BSFL, ClipperVision
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Clippers -6; Clippers -225, Magic +190
FanDuel: Clippers -6; Clippers -250, Magic +205
BetMGM: Clippers -6.5; Clippers -250, Magic +200
Caesars: Clippers -6; Clippers -240, Magic +196
Season record
Clippers: 14-11
Magic: 5-20
Well, if you’ve never seen a balanced NBA season to this point, you’re in for some craziness along the way. A lot of new faces in new places already making an impact, and our champion handicappers are already starting to take notice. The last 30 days have seen our champion handicappers cashing in a great deal. Look at Brian Bitler going 80-55-0 in the last 30 days, a run of $18,800 net profit. How about ASA, Inc.? He’s on a 55-41-2 run the last 30 days. You know where to go for your best analysis. As the season progresses, you know we're going to be in a position to deliver you the best analysis and picks that one can have in this market. Make sure you check out our Best Bets page at bigal.com to find all of our handicappers' selections, comprehensive previews, and more!
Clippers - Magic preview, prediction and analysis
Recent form
Clippers: won 119-117 at Hornets on Monday
Magic: lost 9 straight; lost 109-102 vs. Bucks on Monday
Clippers analysis
The Los Angeles Clippers have Paul George and Kawhi Leonard back, for now, and so far it’s working. At least in getting Leonard back, the dude is still clutch. He hit the game-winning jumper with less than 5 seconds remaining to give the Clippers a 119-117 win against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday. Leonard finished with 16 points and six rebounds, while George also returned to the lineup from injury to score a team-high 19 points and get the Clippers a victory. Considering they needed those two’s just presence alone to stand off from losing to a 7-win Hornets team, not one can say they’re impressed and the Clippers are still a long way from being the contenders we all thought they would become.
“This is really a great opportunity to kind of get back on track," George said. “We were playing well when we were healthy and now we can start building toward the team we were trying to be.”
There’s a lot of pressure on the Clippers, but given the current landscape of the Western Conference, it might not be the worst thing in the world. Being 14-11 in a crowded conference could end up being the best thing for them. There’s going to be some time for Leonard and George to get acclimated to a full season. If they are able to slowly get to their game and, more importantly stay healthy, the Clippers might be better. But they can’t be letting the 7-win Hornets hang around, or even their opponent on Wednesday.
Magic analysis
The Orlando Magic continue to go through the growing pains of being a young NBA team. No greater case than now, being 5-20 on the season and in the midst of a nine-game losing streak. They had to endure some time without top overall pick Paolo Banchero due to injury, as well as a myriad of injuries. But defensively it has been a major problem for the Magic. During this nine-game losing streak that began back on Nov. 19, the Magic have given up 116 points per game with opposing offenses shooting close to 52 percent from the floor. It’s that kind of defensive performance that is going to take time under Jamahl Mosley. The hope is that they don’t give up on him. But Orlando is coming off a 109-102 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, the smallest margin of defeat since losing 114-113 at Indiana at the onset of the slide. Banchero had 20 points and 12 rebounds. Markelle Fultz’s return hopefully sparks Orlando eventually. He had 20 points in his fourth game back.
"It's a lot of fun playing with him," Franz Wagner said of Fultz. "Our pace is a lot higher when he's out there on the court. He's really good at getting us into early actions. ... He tries to get everybody involved. Offensively, I think we're a lot sharper (with Fultz in the lineup)."
Prediction
Sometimes, the good teams need the bad ones to catapult them into some sort of consistency. This might be the case for the Clippers. But don’t be shocked to see this game be close just like the others. L.A. isn’t there yet. Clippers by 5
Betting trends
Clippers are 25-11 ATS after failing to cover 5 or 6 of their last 7 ATS the last three seasons.
Magic is 29-50 ATS at home off a cover when they lost the game outright as an underdog since 1996.
Magic is 87-129 at home off a home loss since 1996.
The over is 89-56 when the Clippers play on the road and fail to cover in 3 straight games since 1996.
Projected starting lineup
Clippers:
PG: Reggie Jackson
SG: Paul George
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Nicolas Batum
C: Ivica Zubac
Magic:
PG: Markelle Fultz
SG: Franz Wagner
SF: Paolo Banchero
PF: Bol Bol
C: Mo Bamba
Injury report
Clippers: John Wall (knee, out), Marcus Morris (illness, out), Norman Powell (groin, out), Luke Kennard (injury management, out)
Magic: Jalen Suggs (ankle, out), Gary Harris (hamstring, out), Chuma Okeke (knee, out), Wendell Carter Jr. (foot, out)
Statistical leaders
Clippers:
Points: Paul George – 23.4
Rebounds: Ivica Zubac – 11.5
Assists: John Wall – 5.7
Magic:
Points: Paolo Banchero – 21.7
Rebounds: Bol Bol – 7.5
Assists: Jalen Suggs – 5.4
Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert basketball picks today. And if you enjoyed this Los Angeles Clippers - Orlando Magic prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily NBA projections and previews.
Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
