2023 Orlando Magic Predictions with Futures Odds and Expert NBA Picks
The Orlando Magic are led by defending Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero and will be confident they can continue to make strides towards relevance this season. They blew their 26.5-game win total out of the water last season with 34 wins and are expected to shoot up the standings once again. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2020 and haven’t won a series since 2010. Can either of those streaks come to an end this season?
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Orlando Magic Offseason Recap
Orlando stayed relatively quiet in the offseason, electing to prioritize the development of their current roster and integrate their two first round draft picks into the rotation. Anthony Black was taken 6th overall, and Jett Howard came in at 11th, and both will instantly provide depth on the bench for this budding franchise. Black is a good ball handler but will need to improve on his jump shot if he is to live up to his high draft pick. He’s been able to move the ball on offense, and with a plethora of young shooters, he should have no problem racking up assists with trigger happy players surrounding him. One of those strong shooters is Jett Howard. Howard has a very quick release and needs just an inch of space to fire up an accurate shot. He’s still a little frail for the NBA. However, as he adds size and strength to his frame, Howards will be able to mitigate the defensive liability he may be.
The lone departure for Orlando is Bol Bol. While Bol was able to generate ticket sales, his lanky frame was never a good match in Orlando, and his 9.1 PPG will be easily replaced by the incoming class.
The Magic tied up some loose ends by resigning their core, but otherwise they elected to see how things develop before forcing any moves to send them into contention. It was a very smart offseason from the upper management in Orlando.
Orlando Magic Season Expectations
After vastly exceeding expectations last season, the Magic are once again expected to improve on their record for the 4th straight season, with a win total of 37.5 victories. Their starting lineup has an average age of just 22 years, with 25-year-old Markelle Fultz the most experienced member of the starting five. It is abundantly clear that the Magic will continue to improve and that their lineup has plenty of room to grow. However, current expectations must be limited.
They are still an outside shot to make the postseason and lack the experience and proven talent to compete with the generational superstars they will be lining up across on a nightly basis. Banchero’s 20 PPG last season led the team, but that is the lowest mark to lead a team in scoring last season. The Magic are not building their rebuild around one player, rather doing so prioritizing several key assets, and seeing how they develop. Banchero, Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr, and Fultz all averaged 14+ PPG last year, and the bulk of the scoring doesn’t have to come from one source. While a playoff berth gives the Magic something to play for, a gradual squad improvement is the tastiest prize on offer for Orlando this season.
Orlando Magic Schedule Breakdown
The Magic open up the season with games against the Rockets and Trail Blazers, which could allow them to start the year off a surprising 2-0. They start off the year with several lengthy road trips and homestands. The lack of lengthy travels will help the Magic settle into their groove, as they have a pair of 4-game road trips sandwiched between 4- and 6-game homestands. Their location in Florida often results in longer home and road trips, compared to a team like the Knicks, who can easily make day trips up and down the East Coast.
Orlando Magic Odds
The Magic have an outside shot at making the postseason, with +170 odds attached to their qualification. The title odds are almost not worth mentioning at +30000, but crazier things have happened. Orlando will be forced to take pride in the regular season, and at 37.5 wins, they won’t be too far off a .500 record. One avenue that is interesting to explore is the in-season tournament. The Magic have a favorable group, matched up against the Celtics, Raptors, Nets, and Bulls. They are +1100 to top the group, and they are slated to face off against the Celtics at home in the final group stage game. If they have a 2-1 or 3-0 record heading into that contest, there is a very real possibility they could top the group and will certainly be shorter than a +1100 underdog to do so in that game.
Orlando Magic 2023-24 Season Predictions
The Magic are a team bursting with potential, and it honestly wouldn’t surprise me to see any of their top 7 players have a career year and explode for 23+ PPG. Banchero may hog the spotlight, but the rest of their starters, the veteran bench players, and their incoming high draft pick rookies are all more than capable of throwing down the hammer on any given night. However, I feel as though this win total is slightly high. The Magic won 34 games last season after staying relatively healthy throughout the year. I don’t expect them to regress, but I expect a 36-46 record at the end of the season, and for them to fall just short of their 37.5-game win total. Orlando lacks the grit needed to win hard fought contests, and their inexperience will occasionally flare up in tight matchups. While I will be tailing their Under, I’m not opposed to a little sprinkle on them to win their in-season tournament group at +1100. The nature of their schedule and the bottom feeders they are matched up against (aside from Boston) could allow them to shock the East and qualify. It’s worth a sprinkle on a bet we won’t have to wait all season to find out its outcome. `
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