Oklahoma City Thunder vs Orlando Magic Betting Pick & Prediction 12/19/24

At 7:00 ET, the Orlando Magic (17-11) will host the Oklahoma City Thunder (20-5) in a non-conference matchup. The Thunder are favored by 6.5 points and have won five straight games, while the Magic have lost two in a row.

This game will be played at the Kia Center in Orlando and can be seen on TNT. The over/under line is set at 209.5.

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER VS ORLANDO MAGIC BETTING PICK

The Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder -6.5

This game will be played at Kia Center at 7:00 ET on Thursday, December 19th.

WHY BET THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 115-86 in favor of the Thunder.
• Our projections have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finishing with 29 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists.
• From the field, we have the Thunder finishing with a field goal percentage of 47.8% and knocking down 13 threes.

Do the Thunder Stand a Chance on the Road?

With a 111-96 victory over the Rockets on Saturday, the Thunder improved to 20-5 this season. Playing at home, Oklahoma City entered the game as -5.5 point favorites and covered the spread. The combined score of 207 points fell short of the 215-point O/U line.

Oklahoma City took control with an 11-0 run, stretching the score from 51-48 to 59-51. They outscored Houston 34-27 in the 3rd quarter and 36-27 in the 4th, pulling away after leading 75-69 heading into the final period.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists in their 111-96 win over the Rockets, despite shooting just 38.1% from the field. Isaiah Hartenstein contributed 21 points on 75% shooting, while Jalen Williams added 20 points.

Oklahoma City hit 11 threes at a 36.7% clip, shooting 45% overall. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 12 points in the 3rd quarter, and Hartenstein added 10 in the 4th.

The Thunder’s defense was on point Saturday, holding the Rockets to just 96 points. They allowed 20 points in the 1st quarter and 22 in the 2nd, giving up 27 points in both the 3rd and 4th quarters.

Oklahoma City limited Houston to 36% shooting, including 23% from three-point range, where the Rockets made just 11 threes. The Thunder also recorded 12 steals and 4 blocks in the game.

Can the Magic Pull Off a Home Win?

The Magic fell to 17-11 on the season after a 100-91 loss to the Knicks on Sunday. Orlando, who were +4.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread at home. The game’s total of 191 points was well below the O/U line of 213.5.

After a 22-22 first quarter, the Knicks took control by outscoring the Magic 29-19 in the second. Orlando trimmed the deficit slightly in the third, winning the quarter 26-24, but couldn’t complete the comeback, as they were outscored 25-24 in the final period.

In their 100-91 loss to the Knicks, the Magic shot just 41.9% from the field and 30% from three-point range, hitting only 9 threes. Moritz Wagner was a bright spot, knocking down 4 threes at 57.1% and finishing with a game-high 32 points and 6 rebounds.

Tristan Da Silva added 20 points, with 9 of those coming in the opening quarter. Jalen Suggs struggled, shooting 21.1% from the field and contributing 9 points and 8 assists.

Despite giving up 100 points, the Magic couldn’t capitalize on their defensive effort against the Knicks. They allowed 22 points in the 1st quarter and 29 in the 2nd, followed by 24 in the 3rd and 25 in the 4th.

Orlando struggled to contain New York from beyond the arc, as the Knicks hit 10 threes on 41% shooting. The Magic also sent the Knicks to the line 30 times, where they converted 24 free throws. Defensively, the Magic recorded 8 steals and 10 blocks.