The battered and bruised Toronto Raptors will limp home on Friday night to take on the Orlando Magic after a disappointing 0-4 road trip.
Toronto has now dropped five consecutive games after falling 113-104 to the lowly Pistons in Detroit on Wednesday. The loss put an exclamation mark on an 0-4 road trip that also had stops in Portland, Denver, and Phoenix.
Bet on Magic vs. Raptors
ORL -8
TOR +8
The Magic, who are in the midst of a fine season and sit fifth in the Eastern Conference, are coming off a 114-106 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. They’re now set for a home-and-home set with the Raptors that will conclude Sunday in Orlando.
Let’s take a closer look at the odds for this matchup via bet365:
Magic vs. Raptors odds
| Magic Moneyline Odds | -340 |
| Raptors Moneyline Odds | +270 |
| Over/Under | 216.5 points (over -110, under -110) |
| Spread | Magic -8 (-110) |
| Time/Date | March 15, 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | Broadcast: TSN4/5 Stream: NBA League Pass (How to watch the NBA in Canada?) |
All odds courtesy of 
About the Magic (38-28 SU, 43-23 ATS, 31-35 o/u)
Paolo Banchero led seven players in double figures with 21 points and nine assists in Orlando’s win over Brooklyn. Wendell Carter Jr. had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Magic, while Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs each added 14 points. Orlando shot an impressive 51.9% from the floor, and 14-of-32 (43.7%) from three-point range while dishing out 29 assists. The Magic opened the game with a 12-2 run and never trailed.
The Magic, who are the best team against the spread in the NBA this season with a 43-23 ATS record, opened the season with one of the youngest rosters in the NBA with an average age of 24.79 years old. Additionally, they began the campaign with 11 players with three years or less of NBA experience.
This youth movement is getting done with defence. The Magic rank fourth in the league in steals (8.1 per game) and also fourth in defensive rating (112.7). Offensively, the team is averaging just 110.7 points per game (26th in the league) and 10.9 three-pointers per game (30th in the NBA).
History is not on Orlando’s side in this one, as the Magic have lost 12 of the past 16 and 31 of the past 40 regular season meetings with Toronto. However, the Magic did take the first meeting of the season between these teams, 126-107, at home on Nov. 21.
About the Raptors (23-43 SU, 31-35 ATS, 34-32 o/u)
The Raptors are now looking ahead to next season and are giving some of their young players a good run of playing time, although that decision was largely made for them due to a rash of injuries. But the good news is that at least five Raptors have scored in double figures in 10 straight games (Feb. 23 – Mar. 13), matching their longest such streak of the season (10 games; Nov. 15 – Dec. 1). Toronto is sharing the ball, averaging 30.6 assists over the last 10 contests. The team ranks third in the NBA in assists, averaging 29.3 this year, which would be a new franchise record if it can maintain the pace.
The Raptors are also getting out and running, leading the NBA with 19 fast break points per game this season, including an impressive 24.2 mark in 11 games since the All-Star break. They’ve outscored opponents 266-153 in the stat category during that span, led by Immanuel Quickley, Gradey Dick, and RJ Barrett who have combined for 137 of Toronto’s 266 fast break points.
Kelly Olynyk over 25.5 PRA
-115
Injury concerns
Orlando enters the contest with a clean injury report.
The Raptors’ list is quite extensive:
- Barrett (personal) is out.
- Chris Boucher (knee) is out.
- D.J. Carton (ankle) is out.
- Gary Trent Jr. (groin) is questionable.
- Scottie Barnes (finger) is out.
- Jakob Poeltl (finger) is out.
Betting trends
- The under is 11-3 in Toronto’s last 14 home games.
- Toronto is 0-4 ATS in its last four home games.
- The under is 8-2 in Orlando’s last 10 games.
- Orlando is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games as a road favourite.
Player prop trends
- Kelly Olynyk has seen an uptick in minutes and his role has been substantial with all of Toronto’s injuries. The Canadian has bested his points line of 12.5 (over -120) in three straight games and six of his last eight.
- Jalen Suggs has grabbed four or more rebounds in four straight games. He’s -135 to haul over 3.5 rebounds.
- Trent Jr. has been hot from beyond the arc, draining three or more three-pointers in four straight games. He’s -150 to record over 2.5 threes.
Wagers to consider
- Olynyk over 25.5 PRA: -115. With all of the injuries, he’s been boosted to around 30 minutes per game and has been a stabilizing veteran presence for this young Raptors team over the last handful of games. He posted a great overall line of 19 points, six rebounds, and eight assists on 72% shooting against the Pistons while also notching two steals and a pair of blocks. Olynyk’s shining right now, averaging 31 PRAs over the last three games while playing a key leadership role for the makeshift lineup.
- Magic -8: -110. This line is already on the move after opening at Magic -7 at bet365 very early Friday morning and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the spread reach double digits by the tip, especially if Trent Jr. is ruled out. The Raptors are simply too banged up to compete with this young and hungry Magic squad that is battling to secure a playoff berth in the East. This should be a lopsided double-digit win for Orlando.
