Los Angeles Clippers vs Orlando Magic Betting Pick & Prediction 3/31/25
At 7:00 ET, the Los Angeles Clippers (-156) will travel to Orlando to take on the Magic (+132). The Clippers are currently favored by 3.5 points, and the over/under line is set at 212.
This non-conference matchup will be played at the Kia Center and can be seen on FDSF. The Clippers are 42-32 and currently hold the 8th seed in the Western Conference, while the Magic are 36-39 and currently hold the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS VS ORLANDO MAGIC BETTING PICK
The Pick: Los Angeles Clippers -3.5
This game will be played at Kia Center at 7:00 ET on Monday, March 31st.
WHY BET THE LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 138-118 in favor of the Clippers.
- Our projections have James Harden finishing with 22 points, 6 rebounds and 9 assists.
- From the field, we have the Clippers finishing with a field goal percentage of 48.1% and knocking down 15 threes.
Will the Clippers Come Through as Road Favorites?
The Clippers fell to 42-32 on the season after a 127-122 road loss to the Cavaliers on Sunday. L.A. entered the game as +7.5 point underdogs and managed to cover the spread, losing by five. The total points for the game were 249, exceeding the O/U line of 230.5 by 18.5 points.
A key moment came when the Cavaliers went on a 16-0 run, extending their lead from 20-17 to 36-17. The Clippers rallied in the 2nd quarter, outscoring Cleveland 39-31, but the Cavs responded by winning the 3rd quarter 37-24. L.A. made a push in the 4th, outscoring Cleveland 34-22, but couldn’t complete the comeback.
Norman Powell’s 34-point performance, including 20 in the 2nd quarter, highlighted the Clippers’ 122-point effort in their loss to the Cavaliers. Powell hit 5 threes at 45.5%, while James Harden added 24 points and 8 assists, connecting on 4 threes despite shooting 38.9% from the field.
As a team, the Clippers made 16 threes at 39%, with an overall shooting percentage of 48.4%. Bogdan Bogdanović contributed 16 points, and Kris Dunn added 8 of his 13 points in the 4th quarter.
The Clippers struggled defensively on Sunday, giving up 127 points to the Cavaliers. They allowed 37 points in both the 1st and 3rd quarters, and 31 in the 2nd. However, they tightened up in the 4th, holding Cleveland to 22 points. Overall, the Cavaliers shot 50% from the field.
From beyond the arc, the Clippers allowed 15 threes on 33% shooting. Cleveland also went 18/23 from the free-throw line. The Clippers finished with 34 defensive rebounds, while giving up 10 offensive boards. They also recorded 6 steals and 4 blocks.
Will the Orlando Defense Show Up at Home?
The Magic improved to 36-39 this season with a dominant 121-91 win over the Kings on Saturday. Playing at home, Orlando was favored by 1.5 points and covered the spread with the victory. The total points for the game were set at 213, but the teams combined for 212, just missing the over/under line.
Orlando set the tone early, jumping out to a 38-21 lead after the 1st quarter. While Sacramento slightly edged the Magic 25-23 in the 2nd quarter, Orlando responded by outscoring the Kings 37-20 in the 3rd. Heading into the 4th with a 98-66 lead, the Magic coasted to the finish, with both teams scoring 25 points in the final period.
In their win over the Kings, the Magic’s offense was firing on all cylinders, shooting 49.4% from the field and knocking down 18 threes at a 46.2% clip. Paolo Banchero led the way with 24 points, including 11 in the 3rd quarter, while Franz Wagner added 21, scoring 10 in the 3rd.
Caleb Houstan hit 6 threes, shooting 85.7% from deep and finishing with 18 points. He also added 6 points in the 4th quarter. Goga Bitadze contributed 8 of his 12 points in the 1st quarter, and added 4 more in the 4th.
The Magic put on a defensive clinic against the Kings, holding them to just 91 points on Saturday. Orlando gave up 21 points in the 1st quarter and 25 in the 2nd and 4th, but their best defensive effort came in the 3rd, where they allowed only 20 points.
Orlando limited Sacramento’s three-point shooting, allowing just 7 made threes on 25% shooting. The Magic also sent the Kings to the free-throw line 20 times, where they made 16. Defensively, the Magic recorded 10 steals and 2 blocks.