The Indiana Pacers (15-56) and Orlando Magic (38-32) will meet in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from the Kia Center in Orlando, Fla. The game will be broadcast live on FDSIN.
The Magic are 13-point favorites over the Pacers on the spread (Magic -13), with the over/under set at 233.5 total points. Orlando is a -820 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Indiana is +570 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Pacers vs. Magic predictions and NBA picks for Monday, March 23.
Pacers vs Magic Prediction, Pick
- Pacers vs Magic pick: Desmond Bane Over 25.5 Points & Assists (-128)
My Magic vs. Pacers best bet is on Desmond Bane to combine for over 25.5 points & assists. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Pacers vs Magic Odds
| Pacers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+13 -110 | 233.5 -110o / -110u | +570 |
| Magic Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-13 -110 | 233.5 -110o / -110u | -820 |
Pacers vs Magic NBA Preview
The Magic will host the Pacers tonight, and I'll be targeting Desmond Bane in this matchup.
Orlando draws a matchup against the Pacers tonight, who are obviously trying to lose games at this point — but even with the 13-point spread, I’m not overly concerned about Bane losing out minutes in a blowout because it’s the Magic, and they rarely win by margin.
When you look at what Bane brings to the table, he does more than just score for himself. He also creates for his teammates as a pick-and-roll ball handler — and when he gets spot-up opportunities from beyond the arc, he’s efficient in those situations as well.
Bane and the Magic will face a Pacers team that is in full tank-mode in this spot. Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, and Pascal Siakam are all listed as questionable for Indiana tonight.
Even if those guys do play, it’s unclear how many minutes they will actually see. That uncertainty should open things up even more for Bane.
On the other side, this is a Magic team that needs to win every game they can down the stretch. Orlando can’t really afford to mess around with their rotation.
The Magic need to let their guys go out there and run up the score until the game is out of reach.
Pacers vs Magic Predictions, Betting Analysis
The Pacers have been feisty in these spots. They will likely compete early and then let go of the rope later in the game — and that actually helps for props like this.
The final score might look like a blowout in the end, but up until that point, Indiana tends to keep things competitive because Rick Carlisle is still testing different things. He’s not completely waving the white flag from the start.
The Pacers will find a way to lose eventually — but early on, they push buttons, try different looks, and make life a bit difficult — at least enough to keep the game within range, which is ideal for Bane’s volume.
Action PRO is projecting 27.0 points & assists for Bane in tonight's contest.
Pick: Desmond Bane Over 25.5 Points & Assists (-128)
