Assessing Orlando Magic's 2024 Expectations at Midseason
CURRENT ODDS: Regular Season Win Total O/U 44.5 (-112)
PRESEASON ODDS: Regular Season Win Total O/U 37.5 (-104)
A seven-game jump in the line is a testament to how surprisingly well the Orlando Magic started the season.
After their most recent game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Magic sit at just better than .500 with a record of 23-21. They are just 21 wins away from hitting their updated over/under with 38 games remaining. They are also a mere 15 games from surpassing their preseason total -- a sure sign of their progress.
If Orlando can maintain a .500 record or better for the remainder of the season they would have at least 42 wins. That puts them pretty close to hitting their over/under total from FanDuel Sportsbook.
The Magic expect to be better as they try to fight out of the Play-In Tournament. They are sitting in eighth place, only 1.5 games behind the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat for sixth place.
A significant factor in favor of Orlando is they currently have the easiest strength of schedule remaining for the 2024 season and have played the third-hardest schedule in the league to date.
That means their path to wins is more manageable than anyone else’s in the NBA. Some teams could enter tank mode and make the remaining schedule even easier. And Orlando has an eight-game homestand to look forward to as well.
There is still some work to do for the Magic here. But considering the road ahead, asking them to finish the season with a winning record and at least 44 wins is very doable. The -112 odds reflect that.
FINAL CALL - TAKE