Game Time: 7:00 PM ET, Wednesday, March 30th, 2022 

Venue:   Capital One Arena, Washington D.C.

Where to Watch: NBA League Pass

DraftKings:  Spread:  Wizards -3; O/U 220

Fanduel:  Spread:  Wizards -3; O/U 220.5

BetMGM:  Spread: Wizards -3.5; O/U 220.5

Magic: 20-56, 15th place Eastern Conference

Wizards: 32-42, 12th place Eastern Conference

An NBA Eastern Conference matchup where all the gloves are off.  Neither of these teams will make the “play-in” tournament.  It’s clear.  These franchises are losers in 2022.  Both however are looking at the magical turn around of the Chicago Bulls with baited breath… Could they be next?... A high draft pick, a trade of a star player, a trade of future picks, using cap space to sign a mid-level gut to go with all the other moves, keeping the one or two good players… becoming reborn.  It’s the dream of all franchises that miss the playoffs.  So, when two losing teams play each other this close to the NBA draft lottery we have to ask ourselves… Who will play to win? AND who will cover the spread?  The great betting opportunity right now is in matchups like this!  Will Orlando feature the players that they have been holding back… because they are assured a last or near last place finish and may want to trade some guys for more picks and players… Or will Washington take it seriously to show their fans that they want their business next season? Or will the revers happen?.  The trends will let us know.  Let’s take a look at the numbers.

The Orlando Magic have won 4 of their last ten games.  For a team with only 20 wins that is a drastic uptick. It says that the gloves are off.  The team knows that they have to show end of year improvement to sell tickets next season.  Because of the flattened lottery odds for the bottom six teams, the Magic are in a clear area where they can win and not hurt themselves. They are on a 3-game losing streak.  They have gone 4-6 ATS during that stretch.  They are a tricky betting opportunity since they beat an 11 point spread to Minnesota when they oddly won the game… and they lost to a 10 point spread when they got stomped by Brroklyn during that Kyrie Irving 60 point game.  Any game that Orlando wins needs a big offensive surprise since they have almost no defense to speak of.  In their last game they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers 107-101.  It was a win against the spread.  The Magic had 7 players in double figures, but none above 15 points. The best stat lion came from Wndell Carter Jr at 15 points and 12 rebounds… but it also ran the gamut to Markelle Fultz shooting 5-11 and netting 11 points.  Guys like SF Ignas Brazdeikis and PF Admiral Schofield were also on the double digit list… The Magic surely do not want to keep either if those two 2nd round picks from the 2019 draft by other teams.  They would however like to put them as waivable parts of a trade for something better.  So the results are mixed at best.  This team has a dozen former first round picks moving from starter to injury list and back… you never know who will ball out or who will put up a dud, when 2nd round picks are shining.

The Washington Wizards have won 3 of their last ten games.  They went 4-6 ATS.  They are on a current two-game winning streak. Beating both the Detroit Pistons and the Golden State Warriors. Both were wins ATS.  Both featured big games from Kristaps Porzingas 30 pts 10 rbs, and 23 pts, 9 rbs, and 6 asts.  Kristaps is the key.  The Unicorn has had a rough year.. But a big game is a big game… and against the Orlando Magic.. Who exactly is going to play him?...Mo Bamba, Wendell Carter Jr, Jimmy Lipper?  Another player to watch with the Wizards is Corey Kispert… Corey has made a case to belong in this league after being a 1st round pick in 2021.  If Corey keeps landing 25 point games like the just did… The Team can trade Bradley Beal to some sucker.  That isn;t meant as a diss to Bradley Beal… but after almost a whole season on the injured list the Wizards could do with what he represents and not necessarily him.  

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Orlando is 20-56 on the season, but 35-41 ATS on the season. They have logged 38 Overs, 37 Unders, and 1 Push.  They are a terrible 10-29 on the road.

Washington is 32-42 on the season, but 29-43-2 ATS.  They have notched 40 Overs, 33 Unders, and 1 Push.  They are 19-18 in home games.  They are appreciably better at home than on the road.

The Magic are 29th in scoring with 104.1 ppg, 15th in rebounds with 44.3 per game, and 25th in AST/TO ratio with 1.6.  On defense they rank 19th while holding opponents to 111.9 ppg.

The Wizards are 22nd in scoring with 108.3 ppg, 25th in rebounds with 43.3 per game, and 8th in AST/To ratio with 1.9.  On defense they rank 18th while allowing 111.5 ppg from opponents.

Our prediction for Wednesday, March 30th is…. Magic 111 - Wizards 109

A win for the Magic means a win versus the spread,  The Magic can not be usurped in the Draft lottery.  With flattened odds and a last place standing they have nothing to lose.  The Magic will throw everything they have at the Wizards' guards.  While Kristaps Prozingis could care less about the outcome of this season.

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Orlando is 54-41 ATS versus Washington since 1996.
Orlando is 5-0 ATS versus Washington at Washington the last 3 seasons.
All 5 games in this series have gone OVER.

Magic: SG Jalen Suggs (ankle) Out ** PF Jonathan Isaac (knee) Out ** C Bol Bol (foot) Out

Wizards: PF Kyle Kuzma (knee) Out ** SG Bradley Beal (wrist) Out **

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

Wizards: SF Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, PF Rui Hachimura, C Kristaps Porzingis, SG Corey Kispert, PG Thomas Satoransky