Magic vs. Hawks Prediction and Odds for Monday, December 19 (Can Magic Stay Hot?)
By Peter Dewey
The Orlando Magic are one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now, winning six straight games, including two over the Boston Celtics heading into a back-to-back against the Atlanta Hawks.
The Hawks are 15-15 on the season, and they’ve struggled a bit with a new-look roster this season. Dejounte Murray and John Collins could return for this matchup, as they are both listed as questionable.
Orlando is without several key rotation players (Jalen Suggs, Wendell Carter Jr., Jonathan Isaac), but the team has been finding ways to win games as of late.
The Magic upset the Hawks in Orlando earlier this month, but can they do the same on the road?
Here’s a look at the latest odds and a pick for this Eastern Conference matchup:
Magic vs. Hawks Odds, Spread and Total
Magic vs. Hawks Prediction and Pick
There are several trends that favor the Magic in this game, so let’s start with how they’ve performed on back-to-backs this season.
Orlando is 3-1 against the spread on the second leg of a back-to-back, and the team may have gotten away with a poor offensive performance (outside of Paolo Banchero) in an afternoon matchup with Boston on Sunday.
The Magic have struggled straight up on the road, but they are in a favorable spot since the Hawks are just 4-7 ATS as home favorites in the 2022-23 season.
Over the last 10 games, the Hawks are just 22nd in the NBA in net rating while Orlando checks in at 17.
The Magic have struggled as road dogs, going just 5-8-1 ATS, but they are losing those games by an average margin of 6.9 points.
Luckily, we can grab them at 7.5 in this matchup. Even if Murray and Collins return, the Hawks shouldn’t be trusted at this big of a number.
Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record here.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.