Magic vs Suns Picks, Prediction Today | Sunday, Dec. 31

Here's everything you need to know about Magic vs Suns on Sunday, Dec. 31 — our expert prediction and betting picks for today.

The Orlando Magic begin a four-game road trip against the Suns on Sunday night. As for Phoenix, the Suns hope to build some momentum with their  two-game winning streak.

Bradley Beal is finally back with the Suns after recovering from an ankle injury. He played 30 minutes in the Suns 133-119 victory over the Hornets. The bad news is that Beal only managed six points in his return.

Nonetheless, the Suns are laying 6.5 points with Beal back in the lineup. That price feels steep, considering Beal still needs to settle in with his new teammates fully.

I'll expand on that and share why bettors should trust the Magic to keep pace with this potentially potent Suns' offense with my Magic vs Suns prediction and pick.

At 19-12, Orlando is ahead of schedule with this young team. There's no question the team is still evolving as it learns about itself. Overall, Orlando has a good nucleus of players. After all, it's rare that you have a group of young talent that fully embrace their defensive responsibilities.

These are positive signs for a team with the third-youngest roster (average age 24.3 years), according to Spotrac.

While Orlando's youth certainly isn't a surprise, I wonder if anyone saw the Magic having the second-best team in defensive efficiency. Per TeamRankings, Orlando's allowing just 107 points per 100 possessions.

Much of the Magic's defensive success begins with its pressure on the ball. Orlando ranks second in opponent turnovers, forcing 15.6 per game.

These turnovers result in extra scoring chances for Orlando, which often keeps it from falling too far behind its opponents. It's worth noting that Orlando has almost a +6 advantage in extra scoring chances when it takes on the Suns.

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It will take some time for Bradley to fully acclimate to playing with his new teammates. After all, it was only his seventh game of the season. Moreover, it was only the third time that Beal played alongside the other Phoenix superstars, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.

On paper, the Suns' Big Three certainly pose a threat. However, Beal has only been averaging 13.4 points after averaging 23.2 points over the last two seasons.

Durant and Booker are carrying the bulk of the load with a bench that ranks just 26th with a scoring average of 29.5 points. In comparison, Orlando's bench ranks third with 43.1 points per game.

At the moment, the Suns lack that bit of cohesion on offense. They rank 26th in turnovers (15.1 per game), which could play into the hands of the Magic.

Even with proven scorers like Durant and Booker, the Suns need help to get the job done in late and close clutch situations when the scoring margin is within five points with five or fewer minutes remaining in a game.

According to NBA.com, Phoenix is just 8-11 in this spot, whereas Orlando is 10-4. If Orlando can keep the game close in the later stages, it has a good chance to come out ahead of the Suns.

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When you look at the Suns, the first concern is them running roughshod all over you offensively. However, we must remember that Phoenix is still not firing on all cylinders.

Opposing defenses can focus their game plans on stopping Durant and Booker while Beal tries to find his footing. And if you think Orlando can't hold its own in a high-scoring game, think again.

According to our Action Labs database, Orlando is 17-3 against the spread (ATS) when on the road with an opening total of 229.5 or more points.

This angle is currently on a 9-0 ATS run.

With Beal back in the mix, the Suns are overvalued at the current price, so I'll gladly take the points with Orlando catching 6.5 points at BetMGM.

Pick: Magic +6.5

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