Magic vs Wizards Predictions & Odds (Jan. 21)
- Washington is a 6-point favorite in the Magic vs Wizards odds on Saturday evening
- The Wizards took the first meeting between these two teams 119-100
- Get the latest Magic vs Wizards odds below, plus analysis and a prediction
All it took for the Wizards (19-26, 11-10 home) to get their mojo back was the return of their best player. Bradley Beal was back in Washington’s lineup for the first time in six games on Wednesday, and the Wiz promptly routed the hometown Knicks.
Washington had dropped four of five without Beal in the lineup, but now that he’s back they’re starting to get some respect in the NBA odds ahead of Saturday’s matchup with the Magic (17-28, 6-16 away).
Magic vs Wizards Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando Magic | +6 (-110) | +200 | OFF |
| Washington Wizards | -6 (-110) | -240 | OFF |
Odds as of January 20 at Barstool. Claim the Barstool Sportsbook promo code to bet on the Magic vs Wizards game.
The Wizards opened up as 6-point favorites, in a contest without a total as of Friday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 pm ET at the Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, and is one of seven games on Saturday’s slate.
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Magic vs Wizards Betting Analysis
Beal had been sidelined with a hamstring injury for the second time. He initially suffered the injury in late December which forced him to miss three games. He aggravated the injury in his first game back and has been sidelined ever since.
Unfortunately this is not the first injury Beal’s had to deal with this season. He also missed time back in December and has played in just 25 games all season. The Wiz are 11-14 with him in the lineup and 8-12 without him.
Beal gave the Wizards their first lead of the game by making his first shot against the Knicks, and Washington never looked back. Washington’s leading scorer finished with 18 points and 4 assists in the 30 minutes, and will likely continue to log 30 minutes or less for the foreseeable future.
Kristaps Porzingis complimentary of Bradley Beal
"We play more disciplined when he's out there. He's making the right play and then nobody else is allowed to not make the right play. He kind of sets the standard. I know it's maybe harder to see, but us as players we feel that." pic.twitter.com/KSGxFuPbiJ
— Hoop District (@Hoop_District) January 20, 2023
Kyle Kuzma delivered 27 points and 13 rebounds for the Wiz as he continues his breakout campaign. Kuzma is averaging a career best 21.7 points per night so far, and is just two games removed from a 40 point effort.
Washington enters play ranked below league average in offensive and defensive rating, although they’ve been much better in their own end over the last 15 games. The Wizards rank seventh in defensive rating during that stretch and should be able to contain Orlando’s underwhelming offense.
The Magic rank 25th in offensive rating, and would be lost without star rookie Paolo Banchero. The NBA ROY odds favorite is averaging 21 points per outing to go along with 7 rebounds. He and Franz Wager are the only two Orlando players who average north of 20 points, while no one on the team shoots above 37% from 3.
the vision is elite 🤧@Pp_doesit + @thats_G_ pic.twitter.com/1WrASL7889
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) January 21, 2023
By the season long numbers, the Magic have been an average defensive team, but like Washington they’ve improved in that area recently.
Orlando ranks eighth in defensive rating over the past 15 games, despite recently returning from a daunting five game road trip out West. That swing featured tilts against many high powered offenses including the Warriors, Jazz and Nuggets.
Magic vs Wizards Predictions
The Magic took down the Pelicans on Friday night at home, but have not fared well on the second half of back-to-backs this season. Orlando is 1-7 in those instances, with an average score margin of -6.6 points. They’ve been blown out on the road on the second half of a back-to-back in three of the past five instances, suffering losses of eight, 13 and 20 points.
NBA Bottom-5 Net Rating Ranks
| Team | Rank |
|---|---|
| San Antonio Spurs | 30 |
| Houston Rockets | 29 |
| Detroit Pistons | 28 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 27 |
| Orlando Magic | 26 |
Washington, meanwhile, will have had two full days rest prior to this matchup and will be able to field their desired starting lineup for just the 15th time all season. That unit flashed a high ceiling in Wednesday’s romp of the Knicks, one of the top-seven teams in the East. They should have no problem handing the Magic, the conference’s 3rd-worst team.
Pick: Washington Wizards -6 (-110)
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
