Game Time: 7:30 PM ET, Monday, October 25th, 2021 

Venue:  American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida

Where to Watch: NBA League Pass, Local Cable

DraftKings:  Spread:   ** :  O/U: 221 

BetMGM:  Spread:   **:  O/U: 221

The opening line is Heat -14

Magic: 1-2 (Eastern Conference)

Heat: 1-1 (Eastern Conference)

Preseason came to an end and the Orlando Magic had to begin playing for real.  They had a whirlwind 2021, purging their roster of stars that weren’t winning and loading their bench with young players who may one day be stars that aren’t winning.  They also got a cupboard full of draft picks to go with their own first-round draft selection of PG Jalen Suggs out of Gonzaga.  Orlando team history says their best intentions won’t work out, but we’ll see.  They lost their opening game to the San Antonio Spurs 123-97, after that blowout they got blown out again by the New York Knicks 121-96… then something odd happened… They played the Knicks again on Sunday and WON 110-104.  The Knicks had an off-night and the depleted Magic (look at the injury report below) hit some shots.

The Miami Heat are really hoping to have a great year.  They are a play-off team, they made the finals in the bubble, they have stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, and they have exciting young players Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson.  They also added Kyle Lowry to the roster (he could be a third star on a good night or a grizzled vet on a bad night)... and they will always have their fingers crossed that Victor Oladipo gets healthy and returns to form.  All that inertia and they opened the season by blowing out the defending Champion Milwaukee Bucks 137-95!!  Good times were had  Then in game 2 the little bit of doubt we all have about the Heat creeped in and they were beaten in overtime by the Indiana Pacers.  Two games into the season the Heat are .500, having won one they should have lost and lost one they should have won.  The NBA season is young and this story will keep on being spun. 

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RECENT FORM

The Orlando Magic are 25th in FG% and 17th in 3PT%.  They have an odd collection of players on the court because of the numerous injuries.  Expert handicappers don’t rank the Orlando Magic odds highly when they are healthy, but they have won 1 contest and truth be told we don’t know what they will be.  I would certainly not include them as the hinge in any parlays.

The Miami Heat are 14th in field goal percentage, 18th in 3-point percentage, and 15th in offensive rebounds. Bam Adebayo is pulling down 14.5 rebounds a game… still they need more rebounds on the offensive end.  They have gunners in Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro and for that to work the way they want they will need to get into the top ten in offensive rebounds at least.

Our prediction for Monday, October 25th is… Heat 111 - Magic 92

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Orlando is 5-2 ATS versus Miami over the last 3 years.

Miami is 18-12 ATS after an upset loss as a favorite the last 3 seasons.

Injury Report:

Orlando:  Michael Carter-Williams (ankle) Quest ** PF Chuma Okeke (hip) Quest ** SG Gary Harris (hamstring) Quest ** PG Markelle Fultz (knee) Out indefinitely ** PF Jonathan Isaac Out indefinitely

Miami:  PG Kyle Lowry (ankle) Quest ** SG Victor Oladipo (knee) Out indefinitely

Magic:  PG Cole Anthony, SG R.J. Hampton, SF Franz Wagner, PF Wendell Carter Jr, C Mo Bamba

Heat: PG Tyler Herro, SG Duncan Robinson, SF Jimmy Butler, PF P.J. Tucker, C Bam Adebayo

Magic

Points: Mo Bamba 16.5

Rebounds: Wendell Carter Jr 9.5

Assists: Cole Anthony

Steals: Jalen Suggs 1.5

Blocks: Mo Bamba 3

Heat

Points: Tyler Herro 28.5

Rebounds: Bam Adebayo 14.5

Assists: Jimmy Butler 6

Steals: Jimmy Butler 2

Blocks Duncan Robinson 0.5

Magic: Jamahl Mosley

Heat: Erik Spoelstra