Orlando Magic vs New York Knicks Betting Pick & Prediction 12/3/24

At 7:30 ET, the New York Knicks will host the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks are currently favored by 5 points and have a record of 12-8, while the Magic are 15-7 and have won 6 straight games.

This Eastern Conference matchup can be seen on TNT.

ORLANDO MAGIC VS NEW YORK KNICKS BETTING PICK

The Pick: New York Knicks -5

This game will be played at Madison Square Garden at 7:30 ET on Tuesday, December 3rd.

WHY BET THE NEW YORK KNICKS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 124-97 in favor of the Knicks.
• Our projections have Jalen Brunson finishing with 30 points, 3 rebounds and 7 assists.
• From the field, we have the Knicks finishing with a field goal percentage of 46.5% and knocking down 15 threes.

Will Orlando Pull Through as the Underdog Road Team?

The Magic improved to 15-7 this season with a 100-92 win over the Nets on Sunday. Orlando, who were -6.5 point favorites, covered the spread with the win. The total points for the game were 192, falling short of the 206.5 O/U line.

Orlando took control after trailing 29-26 at the end of the 1st quarter. They outscored Brooklyn 24-21 in the 2nd quarter and 25-19 in the 3rd to take a 75-69 lead into the 4th. The Magic finished strong, edging the Nets 25-23 in the final quarter.

In their win over the Nets, the Magic’s offense struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 7 threes at a 25% clip. They shot 45.9% overall, with Franz Wagner leading the way despite a 23.5% shooting night, finishing with 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 16 points, knocking down 4 threes at 44.4%. Wendell Carter was perfect from the field, contributing 14 points, including 6 in the 4th quarter. Goga Bitadze scored 9 of his 12 points in the opening period.

Despite a rough 1st quarter, the Magic tightened up defensively, allowing just 63 points over the final three quarters in their 100-92 win over the Nets. They gave up 29 points in the 1st but responded by holding Brooklyn to 21 points in the 2nd, 19 in the 3rd, and 23 in the 4th.

Orlando held the Nets to 38% shooting, including just 8 made threes on 25% shooting from beyond the arc. The Magic also recorded 10 steals and 11 blocks in the game.

Will New York Live Up to Expectations at Home?

On Sunday, the Knicks improved to 12-8 with a dominant 118-85 win over the Pelicans at home. New York, favored by 12 points, covered the spread with ease. The game’s total of 203 points fell short of the 224-point O/U line.

New York set the tone early, going on a 12-0 run to extend the score from 4-3 to 16-3. They held the Pelicans to just 10 points in the 1st quarter and led 93-56 going into the 4th, allowing them to coast to victory despite being outscored 29-25 in the final period.

Mikal Bridges knocked down 7 threes at a 58.3% clip, finishing with 31 points in the Knicks’ win over the Pelicans. He scored 13 points in the 1st quarter and added another 12 in the 3rd.

New York hit 20 threes as a team, shooting 44.4% from deep, though their overall FG% was 45.7%. Jalen Brunson contributed 16 points, 9 assists, and 3 made threes, while Karl-Anthony Towns had 14 points and 19 rebounds.

The Knicks put on a defensive clinic against the Pelicans on Sunday, holding them to just 85 points. New York set the tone early, allowing only 10 points in the 1st quarter and 18 in the 2nd. The Pelicans managed 28 points in the 3rd and 29 in the 4th, but the Knicks’ defense stayed strong throughout.

New York limited New Orleans to 37% shooting from the field and just 14% from beyond the arc, where the Pelicans made only 4 threes. The Knicks also sent the Pelicans to the line 17 times, where they hit 11 free throws. Defensively, the Knicks grabbed 46 rebounds, gave up 13 offensive boards, and added 10 steals and 9 blocks.