The Washington Wizards (16-44) and Orlando Magic (31-28) 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 broadcast live on FDSFL.
The Magic are 15.5-point favorites over the Wizards on the spread (Magic -15.5), with the over/under set at 228.5 total points. Orlando is a -1200 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Washington is +750 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Wizards vs. Magic predictions and NBA picks for Tuesday, March 3.
Wizards vs Magic Prediction, Picks
- Wizards vs Magic pick: Wizards +15.5 (-110)
My Magic vs. Wizards best bet is on Washington to cover the spread as a big, road underdog. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Wizards vs Magic Odds
| Wizards Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+15.5 -110 | 228.5 -112o / -108u | +750 |
| Magic Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-15.5 -110 | 228.5 -112o / -108u | -1200 |
Wizards vs Magic NBA Preview
The Magic are a mess right now. Their coach and star player are trading barbs in press conferences, and the team has had a nightmare of a year, from injuries to on-court performance.
So, surely the Wizards are the get-right game? Well, probably — but I still think the Magic are laying too many points in this spot.
For starters, Orlando is 0-2 this season when favored by double-digits; the Magic are just 4-4 ATS when favored by at least half this line (-8).
The Magic are 8-17 (32%) ATS when playing against a team that is under .500 ATS. They underperform against teams that underperform the market.
As a great sign of how this season has gone for Orlando, the Magic are 4-9 SU and 3-10 ATS when they have a rest advantage this season. They can’t even win the schedule spots.
I don’t have much here for the Wizards. It’s not like I can find tactical advantages with the mess they have made of their season.
The Wizards are not in a great ATS stretch (covered two in a row, woohoo!), and there’s no extra motivational edge.
However, the Wizards are 14-13 ATS against teams that are below .500 ATS.
They are just slightly better than market expectations when facing teams the market has shown too much confidence in.
Wizards vs Magic Predictions, Betting Analysis
Wizards +15.5
The Magic should win this game, and maybe they get angry and make a point by beating the Wizards to a pulp tonight.
However, the more likely scenario is another frustratingly close game that the Magic pull out so that they get the win but can’t feel good about it, while the Wizards lose another game before Trae Young makes his debut with the team on Thursday.
In short, the Magic should never be favored by 15.5 points over anyone; not even a high school team.
I make the spread for this matchup Wizards +7.8. I’ll grab the points.
Under 228.5
I like the Under here as well, I project this total at 228.
Orlando’s defense isn’t as good as last it was year, but Washington’s offense is just as bad as last year.
The Under is 13-9 when the opponent facing the Wizards (Orlando) has an above average over/under margin.
I'm aware that there's a chance the Magic might just stroll in and drop 140 points on Washington in this spot; it’s entirely possible — but an uncomfortably close slugfest makes a lot more sense.
Wizards vs Magic Best Bets
- Wizards +15.5
- Under 228.5
Spread
My main Wizards vs. Magic betting prediction is on Washington to cover the spread (+15.5).
Moneyline
No play on the moneyline here.
Over/Under
I also like the Under at 228.5 total points in tonight's matchup.
