Nuggets vs Magic Odds, Lines & Predictions (Feb. 9)
By Chris Amberley in NBA Basketball
Published:
- Denver is a 6-point favorite over Orlando on Thursday in the Nuggets vs Magic odds
- Jamal Murray (knee) is questionable for the Nuggets
- See below for the latest Nuggets vs Magic odds, plus injury news and a betting prediction
The Magic have already beaten the Eastern Conference leading Celtics three times this season. On Thursday, they’ll try to take down the number one seed in the West.
Orlando hosts Denver looking for its third win in the last four games. Online sportsbooks however, don’t like their chances. They’re siding with the Nuggets in the NBA odds, as Nikola Jokic and Co. shoot for their fourth victory in their last five outings.
Nuggets vs Magic Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Nuggets | -6 (-110) | -225 | O 233 (-110) |
| Orlando Magic | +6 (-110) | +190 | U 233 (-110) |
Odds as of February 8th at DraftKings Sportsbook. Get the DraftKings Sportsbook bonus code to bet on the Nuggets vs Magic game.
Denver is currently at 6-point favorite while the total sits at 233 as of Thursday morning. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 pm ET at the Amway Center in Orlando, FL, and will mark the second meeting between these two teams this season.
Denver Nuggets Betting Trends
The Nuggets took the first meeting 119-116, thanks to a go-ahead 3 from Jokic with 1.2 seconds remaining. Jokic racked up what was his 12th triple-double of the season at the time, finishing with 17 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds.
The heart and soul of the Denver team has been on a triple-double tear recently, posting one in four consecutive games. He accomplished the feat last time out versus the Timberwolves prior to halftime, finishing with 20 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds in only 28 minutes of work.
The Nuggets cruised to a lopsided victory over Minnesota, and have won each the last four games that Jokic has played by at least 9 points. Jokic is on pace for a career high in assists and three-point efficiency this season, and is leader in the NBA MVP odds. He’s the reigning back-to-back MVP, and is looking to become the first player to three-peat since Larry Bird in the mid-80’s.
Nikola Jokic's mastery of the game: He points at Jamal Murray so Aaron Gordon passes Murray the ball to initiate the action, so he can eventually get Gordon a lob at the rim. He knows how the defense is going to react the whole way. pic.twitter.com/qIj2ZDyTgW
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) February 1, 2023
As Jokic goes so too does Denver. The Nuggets are 35-12 with him in the lineup this season, but just 5-11 in the last 16 games he’s missed over the last two years.
Denver enters play leading the NBA in offensive rating, while averaging 117.4 points per night. In addition to Jokic, three other players average north of 16 points, including point guard Jamal Murray. The 25-year-old is questionable for Thursday night’s NBA lineups, after missing the past two games with a knee injury.
Prior to going down Murray was on an absolute tear. He put up 41 points in his last outing on Saturday, marking his third straight 32+ point performance. He’s averaging 23.7 points and 6.3 assists over his last 20 starts, and the Nuggets are 17-3 in those contests.
Orlando Magic Betting Trends
Needless to say, Murray’s availability is a big deal on Thursday. The Magic, meanwhile, will be without backup center Mo Bamba (suspension) and potentially shooting guard Gary Harris as well. Orlando fell to the Knicks on Tuesday, snapping a two-game winning streak.
The Magic have been one of the better teams in the East since early December. It took this extremely young team time to gel, but since December 7th they’re 17-13. Paolo Banchero is leading the way as he continues to separate himself from the pack in the NBA ROY odds.
"We definitely know that we can play with anybody and we can beat anybody… Teams got to take us serious…. I think we're a tough matchup for a lot of teams."
Paolo Banchero on the Magic's recent play#MagicTogether pic.twitter.com/3YFMPLcm7O
— 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧' 𝐍𝐁𝐀 (@_Talkin_NBA) January 31, 2023
Banchero averages a team high 20.2 points, while chipping in 6.6 boards per night. Fellow big men Wendell Carter Jr. and Franz Wagner each average north of 15 points per game, giving Orlando loads of length and athleticism that can drive opponents nuts.
The Magic won’t blow you away with their advanced numbers, as they rank below league average at both ends of the court. Their defense is trending up however, ranking 12th in defensive rating over the past six games.
They’ve held four of their past seven opponents to 110 points or less, and have wins over NBA Championship odds contenders Boston, Philadelphia and New Orleans in the last two weeks alone.
Nuggets vs Magic Predictions
There’s one stat of Orlando’s that will jump out at you and that’s their record against the spread. The Magic own the NBA’s second best cover record, and are 10-4 ATS in their past 14 games. That stretch includes six outright wins as an underdog, and the team is 14-8 ATS as a home ‘dog this season.
NBA Top ATS Record
| Team | ATS Record |
|---|---|
| OKC Thunder | 33-20-1 |
| Orlando Magic | 31-23-1 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 29-22-1 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 29-22-3 |
| Denver Nuggets | 29-25-1 |
Denver meanwhile, has been on a nice spread run of its own. The Nuggets have beaten the number in four of their last five games, and are 17-9 ATS in their past 26 outings.
If Murray were a sure fire go I’d be tempted to lay the points with Denver. With his status up in the air, this feels like too big of a number for the Nuggets to cover with how well Orlando is playing. Denver has beaten the Magic in nine of their past 10 meetings, but has covered in just four of those games.
Pick: Orlando Magic +6 (-110)
Sports Writer
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.
