Orlando Magic vs Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 22/01/2024, 05:33  by Joseph King | Modified on 22/01/2024 at 11:00 in NBA Prediction

An Eastern Conference battle in the NBA on Monday night sees the fourth-place Cleveland Cavaliers traveling to Florida to take on the eighth-placed Orlando Magic. The Magic are coming off an excellent defensive display which earned them a 105-87 win over the Miami Heat on Sunday. The victory moved their record to 23 wins and 20 losses, narrowing the gap on sixth-place Miami to just one game. The Magic welcomed back second-leading scorer Franz Wagner last game with the German registering 19 points on six for 13 shooting in 28 minutes of play. However, it was the Orlando defense that was the real star of the show, holding Miami to just 37.5% shooting from the field overall. Defense has been the key to Orlando’s success this season with the team ranking fourth in adjusted defensive rating. The Magic will now look for a second consecutive victory as they attempt to put an end to a slump which has seen them lose five of their last seven.

The Cavs come to town following a 116-95 beatdown of the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. It was the seventh consecutive victory for Cleveland who have moved up to fourth in the East standings with a 25-15 record. The Cavs have recorded a number of blowout wins during their current winning streak, the most impressive of which was a 135-95 victory over the Bucks. We could be in for another defensive struggle here, similar to the game that Orlando played out against the Heat. Cleveland is one of only three teams to rank above the Magic in adjusted defensive rating with the Cavs defense giving up an average of only 110.0 points per game (second-best in NBA).