The NBA Cup quarterfinals will get underway when the Orlando Magic host the Miami Heat at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday at the Kia Center on Amazon Prime. The winner will head to Las Vegas for the semifinals this weekend.
Orlando (14-10), which will be without Franz Wagner, is a short home favorite against Miami (14-10). But I prefer the under on the full-game total for my Heat vs. Magic prediction.
Heat vs. Magic Prediction: Tuesday, Dec. 9
- Under 237.5 (-110) – Prediction made Monday
My Heat vs. Magic prediction is to take the Under, given the current health of both teams.
Wagner will get an MRI on his left leg after getting injured in the first quarter of Sunday’s loss to the New York Knicks. He went up for a dunk on a lob pass from Anthony Black, landing awkwardly after a flagrant foul by New York center Airl Hukporti.
It remains unclear how long the Magic will be without Wagner, but it seems unlikely that he’d be available for Tuesday’s NBA Cup matchup. According to Cleaning the Glass, the Magic are about two expected wins worse without Wagner on the floor.
In addition, Magic forward Paolo Banchero returned from injury only recently. He’s yet to play more than 24 minutes in his two games since coming back, scoring 25 total points on 19 shots in 44 minutes.
Miami, meanwhile, has been without Tyler Herro in back-to-back games. Davion Mitchell also missed Saturday’s loss to the Sacramento Kings. The Heat have dropped three in a row, failing to score more than 111 points and finishing under their full-game total thrice over that span.
One of those games came in Orlando, when the two teams met on Friday. The Magic earned a narrow 106-105 win as a seven-point favorite. The game finished well below the closing total of 241.
Although the total has adjusted a bit, I wouldn’t be surprised if it drops further once injury reports are released. I’m expecting a slugfest on Tuesday.
Prediction: Under 237.5
Heat vs. Magic Odds for NBA Cup
- Heat spread: +1.5
- Magic spread: -1.5
- Total: 235.5
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