The Toronto Raptors look to build off their New Year’s Day victory when they host the Orlando Magic on Friday night.
The pregame narrative: I expect a healthier Raptors team to cover their alt-spread at home against an injury-riddled Magic team. Props on Goga Bitadze and Jakob Poeltl round out this same-game parlay.
Check out my Magic vs. Raptors same-game parlay predictions for Jan. 3.
Magic vs. Raptors predictions
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Parlay: Raptors +6.5 + Bitadze over 9.5 rebounds + Poeltl under 22.5 points & rebounds (+335)
Raptors +6.5 (-278): Toronto snapped an 11-game losing skid with a convincing 130-113 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday and is finally getting healthy.
With Immanuel Quickley back and taking over primary ball-handling duties, Barnes returned to his strengths as a play-finisher, recording 33 points while going 9-for-10 in the paint.
Meanwhile, Orlando’s offence has faltered since losing forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner to injuries.
- The Magic are 4-6 since Dec. 8, covering a -6.5 spread in just one of those victories.
- Orlando is averaging a league-worst 101.4 PPG in their last 10 games.
Although the Raptors sit 13th in the Eastern Conference with a lacklustre 8-26 record, they typically keep games competitive at home with a 12-5-1 ATS record.
SGP legs
Bitadze over 9.5 rebounds (-190): Bitadze is enjoying a career season and has served as a solid rim protector for Orlando.
The Georgian centre has a favourable matchup against a Raptors team allowing 15.8 rebounds on average to opposing centres, per Betting Pros.
He’s seen his minutes and usage rate tick up since fellow big man Moritz Wagner sustained a season-ending knee injury on Dec. 21.
In great form, Bitadze has double-digit rebounds in eight of his last 10 games.
And given that he owns a team-best 18.1 rebound percentage, I say the “Go Go Gadget” continues to hold it down in the paint.
Poeltl under 22.5 points & rebounds (-127): The Magic poses a brutal matchup for Poeltl, whose season has been riddled with inconsistencies and injuries.
Orlando allows the second-fewest points in the paint (44.1), per Team Rankings. In addition, the Austrian centre has gone under this mark in his last six games.
In recent games against the Magic formidable centres Nic Claxton and Bam Adebayo have failed to surpass this total.
Picks made at 12:39 p.m. ET 01/03/2025
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