It’s now or never for the Utah Jazz and Orlando Magic to turn things around and finish top 10 in their respective conferences. Their playoff prospects are shrinking fast, with the Jazz on an 0-4 losing streak and the Magic 1-3 in their previous four outings. The NBA lines list the Jazz as road dogs and a total of 232½.
Jazz Falling Apart
The wheels have fallen off for the Utah Jazz, and things will only get better if they figure out how to win on the road. Utah has an abysmal 11-22 record away from home and three losses into a six-game road trip.
But their bad straight-up (SU) record on the road doesn’t necessarily mean they are a lousy bet online on Thursday. Utah has the sixth-best record against the spread (ATS) on the road at 18-15, with a return on investment (ROI) of 4.13%.
Players averaging 25+ PPG on 65+ TS% this season:
— Stephen Curry
— Kevin Durant
— Lauri MarkkanenThat’s it. pic.twitter.com/wN3HA5FtCd
— NBA Muse (@NBAMuse24) March 8, 2023
Despite what the NBA point spread suggests, the Jazz is a more dangerous team and produces much higher numbers on offense than the Magic. The reason for the underdog odds is two of their top three scorers are injured heading into Thursday. Jordan Clarkson (20.8 PPG) is questionable with a finger injury, and Collin Sexton (14.3 PPG) is out with a hamstring issue.
Keep an eye on the NBA news for updates on Clarkson’s status in the lead-up to game time. His presence could be a difference maker.
Magic on 0-5 ATS Home Streak
This is an interesting matchup between one of the worst road and home teams in the NBA. While Utah struggles mightily on the road, the Magic have the fifth-worst home winning percentage at 45.5%.
Unlike the Jazz, who at least cover games on the road, the Magic’s stats are even worse ATS than they are straight up. Orlando is 1-6 ATS in its last seven road games and 0-5 since Feb. 9.
The Magic will be without starting center Wendell Carter Jr., who remains out with a hip injury. Carter leads the team with 8.8 rebounds per game and chips in an average of 15 points. The Magic are 0-2 since he went down, and the Jazz is a top-10 rebounding team. If you bet on basketball Thursday, there are better options than Orlando.
Jazz vs Magic Game Injuries
Jazz vs Magic Head-to-Head
The Jazz holds a 2-0 lead in the season series, with both wins coming on their home court. Orlando covered in the most recent matchup as 5½ underdogs, and the Under is on a three-game winning streak.
Jazz vs Magic Game Information
- Game: Jazz (31-35) vs Magic (27-39)
- Location Amway Center, Orlando, FL
- Day/Time: Thursday, March 9, 7:00 p.m. ET
- Jazz vs Magic Live stream: NBA Game Pass
Jazz vs Magic Betting Lines
Jazz vs Magic Picks and Prediction
Making NBA picks on two teams fading from the playoff race is brutal. Both are desperate but losing games hand over fist. The deciding factor for me is the injury to Carter. Utah has injury issues, but Orlando doesn’t have the size or depth without their starting center to bang down low with Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler.
The Utah Jazz is listed at +135 in our Vegas NBA lines. If you wager $100 on the Jazz, you can win $135. The Orlando Magic are -155, offering a chance to win $65 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Jazz a 42.55% chance to win, with the Magic at 60.78%.
Jazz vs Magic Trends
Jazz vs Magic Edge
Jazz vs Magic Results
Jazz vs Magic Game Summary
Magic vs Jazz Previous (Jan. 13, 2023)
The Jazz has been a solid team at home, having 13 of their 21 wins in Salt Lake City. That should give them an advantage over the Magic, who are still a young team, and despite their talent, the Jazz outmatches them with a more veteran core.
This game also has the possibility of hitting over on the points total. The Jazz’s great offense and poor defense could lead to a young Magic team trying to force this game into a fast-paced one.
