In a disappointing turn of events for the Toronto Raptors, they suffered a loss at the hands of the Orlando Magic, with a final score of 113-103, during their recent encounter on home turf. This defeat has set the stage for a pivotal rematch, as the Raptors prepare to journey back to Orlando for another showdown against the Magic.
The Magic are currently positioned just half a game behind the fourth seed in the standings, and a mere three games shy of the third seed. Securing another victory against the Raptors would not only bolster their playoff positioning but also significantly enhance their chances of advancing further up the seedings. On the flip side, the Raptors find themselves in a tanking situation. In the middle of a six-game losing streak, the Raptors are one loss away from tying with the Memphis Grizzlies for being the sixth-worst team in the league.
Let’s look at the betting odds on both teams for this upcoming matchup.
Bet on Magic vs. Raptors
ORL -12.0
TOR +12.0
Magic vs. Raptors odds
| Magic Moneyline Odds | -750 |
| Raptors Moneyline Odds | +525 |
| Over/Under | 216.5 points (over -110, under -110) |
| Spread | Magic -12.0 (-110) |
| Time/Date | Mar. 17, 6:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | Broadcast: Sportsnet One Stream: NBA League Pass (How to watch the NBA in Canada?) |
All odds courtesy of 
About the Raptors (23-44 SU, 30-36-1 ATS, 34-33 o/u)
Despite the Raptors facing another setback, the game illuminated several positive performances worth noting. Gary Trent Jr. shined brightly, scoring a season-high 31 points, including seven three-pointers, marking his consistent offensive prowess with over 20 points in three consecutive games and his second 30-point outing in the last three. Immanuel Quickley, even amidst a challenging shooting night, contributed with a valuable double-double of 10 points and 10 assists, showcasing his playmaking skills. Additionally, Jordan Nwora made a notable impact off the bench, efficiently scoring 14 points and securing 5 rebounds in just 16 minutes of play.
Facing the Orlando Magic, the Raptors confront a distinct set of challenges due to the strong defence the Magic play. The Magic exhibit particular resilience against point guards, ranking 4th in allowing the most points but 2nd least in rebounds and 4th least in assists to players in this position, presenting a complicated scenario for Quickley. Despite these defensive statistics, Quickley managed to deliver an impressive performance with 10 assists in the last game, showcasing his ability to adapt and find ways to impact the game beyond scoring. In contrast, the situation for shooting guards appears somewhat more favourable. The Magic allow the 8th least points to shooting guards. Trent Jr., who scored 31 points in their last outing, might find this statistical context slightly more accommodating than against teams with a tighter grip on this position.
The defence against small forwards is where the Magic show their most stringent control, conceding the least rebounds in the league to this position. This could pose significant challenges for Gradey Dick in terms of finding scoring opportunities and contributing through rebounds, requiring him to diversify his approach to make a substantial impact.
For power forwards, the Magic’s defence is tough, allowing the 2nd least points, the 4th least rebounds, and the 4th least assists. This indicates a tough matchup for Ochai Agbaji, who will need to find varied ways to influence the game beyond his usual scoring and rebounding contributions. Lastly, the Magic’s defence against centers, with the 6th least points allowed, the 4th least rebounds, and the 3rd least assists, suggests Kelly Olynyk will encounter significant obstacles in scoring, rebounding, and facilitating for his teammates.
About the Magic (39-28 SU, 44-23 ATS, 30-36-1 o/u)
Riding the momentum of an impressive stretch that includes victories in seven of their last ten matchups, the Magic are currently enjoying a two-game winning streak, emphasizing the critical nature of each game as the season progresses. They had six players finishing in double-digits scoring in their recent victory over the Raptors. At the forefront of this well-rounded effort were Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, who led the Magic’s scoring efforts. Wagner, with a notable performance, tallied 19 points, complemented by 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Banchero, not far behind, contributed significantly with 17 points, 9 rebounds, and an impressive 8 assists, nearing a triple-double.
Considering the last 15 games, a period marked by numerous injuries plaguing the Raptors, the Raptors defence has become very weak. The Raptors now lead the league in assists allowed to point guards, which could open an opportunity for the Magic’s point guard Jalen Suggs. Suggs, facing a team that has become the most generous in terms of assists to point guards, may find optimal conditions to emphasize his playmaking skills, thereby orchestrating the offence and enhancing his teammates’ performances.
The Raptors’ defensive stats against small forwards have also been affected by their recent challenges, with the team now allowing the 2nd most points to players in this position over these games. Franz Wagner of the Magic stands to benefit from this situation, as the Raptors’ ongoing struggles against small forwards could provide him with numerous scoring opportunities, particularly by exploiting the gaps in Toronto’s perimeter defence.
Furthermore, the Raptors conceded the 6th and 7th most points to power forwards and centers. This scenario presents a favourable matchup for Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr., encouraging them to leverage their scoring abilities. Moreover, with the Raptors allowing the most rebounds to centers in this stretch, Carter Jr. is poised to exploit this weakness, potentially dominating the boards and securing additional opportunities for the Magic.
Gary Trent Jr. over 2.5 three pointers
-155
Injury Concerns
- Scottie Barnes suffered a fracture to the third metacarpal bone of his left hand in the loss to the Warriors and is considered out indefinitely.
- The Raptors announced that Jakob Poeltl is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left pinkie finger.
- RJ Barrett (personal reasons) does not have a return timetable.
- The Raptors announced that Chris Boucher suffered a partial MCL tear in his right knee and is without a timeline for return.
- The Magic are reportedly fully healthy.
Betting Trends
- Raptors have hit their total points over in their last 5 games.
- Magic have hit their total points over in three of their last 5 games.
- The total points over hit when both teams played each other on Friday.
Player Prop Trends
- Gary Trent Jr has scored over 16.5 points in his last 3 games. He is averaging 12.4 points per game this season and 23.4 points per game in the last 5 games. His line is at -115 to score over 16.5 points against the Magic.
- Immanuel Quickley has dished over 7.5 assists in his last 6 out of 8 games. He is averaging 6.7 assists per game this season as a Raptor. His line is at -105 to dish over 7.5 assists against the Magic.
- Gary Trent Jr has made over 2.5 threes in the last 5 games. He is averaging 2.5 threes per game this season. His line is at -155 to make over 2.5 threes against the Magic.
Wagers to Consider
- Gary Trent Jr over 2.5 threes; Immanuel Quickley over 7.5 assists; Orlando Magic Money Line: +325. Trent Jr and Quickley smashed these lines Friday night against the Magic and will look to do it again as they’ve been hot. With the Raptors heavily injured and the spread set at -12.5, the Magic should have no trouble winning at home.
- Over 216.5 Total Points: -110. The game went over by one point on Friday night and more points should be scored after a couple of adjustments are made by both sides.
