Assessing the Orlando Magic's 2024 season betting lines at the midpoint of the year

The Orlando Magic were not expected to do much at the start of the season.

Plenty of people were eager to see Paolo Banchero's second season after his Rookie of the Year season. But there was little hype about what the Magic were building.

The team worked anonymously, with no national TV appearances in the 2023 season. The team made no splashy moves in the offseason, mainly sticking to the same roster from the previous season. Most people forgot that the roster was roughly .500 after their 5-20 start, and they were the last team eliminated from postseason contention.

The general thought was the Magic would get better and be in the postseason hunt. Nobody expected them to be flirting with homecourt advantage or solidly in the postseason picture.

At the season's midpoint, that is where the Magic find themselves. They find themselves disappointed with their place in the standings, sitting in eighth place, with the easiest part of their schedule still to come closer to the All-Star Break.

It is safe to say that while the Magic are near where most people expected them to finish, how they have gotten there is completely unexpected. The Magic have blown away most expectations, especially thong from the bookmakers and oddsmakers around the country.

As we pass the midpoint of the 2024 NBA season, Orlando Magic Daily takes a look at some of the open season total and prop bets for the Magic, compares them to the preseason odds and, of course, makes final picks for where the Magic may yet end up as their season heads for its conclusion in April.