by Rod Pearson
Thursday, Dec 22, 2022
Game Time: 7:00 pm ET, Friday, December 23, 2022
Venue: Amway Center, Orlando, FL
Where to Watch: BSFL
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Spurs +6, Magic -6; Over/Under: 227.5 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Spurs +6, Magic -6; Over/Under: 227.5 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Spurs +6, Magic -6; Over/Under: 227.5 points
Season Record
San Antonio Spurs: 10-20 (4th place, Southwest Division)
Orlando Magic: 12-21 (4th place, Southeast Division)
Do not miss out on our expert handicapper analysis! Matt Fargo is on a BASKETBALL HOT STREAK going on a 25-13 NBA Run - 37-29 L66 Hoops! Make sure you check out his picks and many more from the expert handicappers featured in the Shop Picks section.
Recent Form
San Antonio Spurs: 4-6 last 10
Orlando Magic: 7-3 last 10
San Antonio Spurs vs Orlando Magic Preview and Analysis
The Spurs are coming into this game with a 10-20 record overall and they are 5-8 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off of a win against the Houston Rockets in their last game. Devin Vassell led the team in points in that game with 26 while Doug McDermott was next on the team with 16 points. Tre Jones led the team in assists in that game with 8 while Zach Collins and Jeremy Sochan each led the team in rebounds with 7. They were 55.4% from the field, 50% from 3-point range, and 78.9% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 110.3 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 119.5 PPG against them. The Spurs have an ATS record of 13-17 this season and their O/U record is 14-15-1.
The Magic are coming into this game with a 12-21 record overall and they are 8-9 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off of a win against the Houston Rockets in their last game. Franz Wagner led the team in points in that game with 25 while Paolo Banchero was next on the team with 23 points. Cole Anthony led the team in assists in that game with 6 while Paolo Banchero led the team in rebounds with 13. They were 45.1% from the field, 29.7% from 3-point range, and 69.7% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 109.6 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 113.2 PPG against them. The Magic have an ATS record of 18-14-1 this season and their O/U record is 16-15-2.
Spurs vs Magic Prediction
The current betting odds have the Spurs listed as a 6 point underdog in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Spurs just won their last game against the Rockets, one of the worst teams in the NBA this season, but they weren't playing very well before that and now they are going to be on the road here where they are 5-8 this season. The Magic haven't been any better this season as they also have one of the worst records in the NBA like the Spurs and they haven't been that great at home either, but they have been getting really hot in their games lately and are on a heater right now with some big wins against some of the best teams in the NBA. The Magic have been playing really well and just won their last game against the Rockets after trailing for most of the game, but this is still not a team that is going to blow other teams out of the water and even being at home here this is a lot of points for them to cover when they could lose this game outright. The best way to place a bet here is on the Spurs to cover the spread in this game and keep it close if they don't pull off the upset.
Spurs Magic Prediction: Our NBA Pick for Friday, December 23, 2022 (7:00 pm ET start time) is Magic 111 Spurs 109.
Don't miss our champion handicappers free picks and expert basketball picks today. And if you enjoyed this San Antonio Spurs Orlando Magic prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our weekly NBA predictions and previews.
NBA Betting Trends
San Antonio Spurs: 23-15 ATS when playing only their 2nd game in 5 days. 15-7 OVER against Southeast division opponents. 43-25 OVER in non-conference games.
Orlando Magic: 9-14 ATS against Southwest division opponents. 7-14 ATS after playing 3 consecutive road games. 8-2 OVER in non-conference games.
Key Injuries
San Antonio Spurs: J. Poeltl (C) Prob Thurs - Knee. K. Johnson (SF) Doub Thurs - Back. J. Richardson (SG) Prob Thurs - Personal. B. Wesley (SG) Ques Thurs - Knee.
Orlando Magic: F. Wagner (SF) Ques Fri - Ankle. W. Carter Jr. (C) Early Jan - Foot. J. Suggs (SG) Early Jan - Ankle. G. Harris (SG) Early Jan - Hamstring. C. Okeke (PF) Late Jan - Knee. J. Isaac (PF) Out indefinitely - Knee.
Notable Quotes
“We had like six or seven guys play well on both ends of the court. We showed a lot more aggression the second half and that's what it takes to win an NBA game.” - Gregg Popovich after his team’s win against the Rockets in their game on Monday.
“It felt like we were up for a while before then, because I thought we were outplaying them. I wasn’t even looking at the scoreboard.” - Cole Anthony after their win against the Rockets in their game on Wednesday.
Starting Lineups
San Antonio Spurs
PG Tre Jones
SG Devin Vassell
SF Keldon Johnson
PF Keita Bates-Diop
C Jakob Poeltl
Orlando Magic
PG Markelle Fultz
SG Franz Wagner
SF Paolo Banchero
PF Bol Bol
C Moritz Wagner
Statistical Leaders
San Antonio Spurs
PPG: K. Johnson (21.1)
APG: T. Jones (6.7)
Reb/G: J. Poeltl (9.5)
Orlando Magic
PPG: P. Banchero (21.9)
APG: J. Suggs (5.4)
Reb/G: W. Carter Jr. (9.1)
Coaches:
San Antonio Spurs: Gregg Popovich (27th season)
Orlando Magic: Jamahl Mosley (2nd season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
