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Cavaliers vs Magic Game 3 Picks, Odds | NBA Playoffs Prediction

Michael Crosson
Michael Crosson Sports Betting Expert
3 minute read
Cavaliers vs Magic Game 3 Picks, Odds | NBA Playoffs Prediction

The 2024 NBA Playoffs continue with a solid 3-game slate this Thursday -- and the first matchup of the evening we'll preview is Cavaliers vs Magic Game 3, which is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET on NBA TV.

The Cavs are 2-point road underdogs on the spread in Thursday's contest, while the total is set at over/under 199.5 total points at DraftKings.

Here's everything you need to know about Cavaliers vs Magic Game 3 -- the latest betting odds, as well as our expert picks and prediction for the NBA Playoffs on Thursday, April 25.

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Cavaliers vs Magic Odds

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Cavaliers vs Magic Picks & Prediction

After winning the first two matchups of this series at home, the Cavaliers hit the road for the Sunshine State with a 2-0 lead over Orlando on Thursday night – and while many may be wondering if the Magic have what it takes to put a dent in that lead in Game 3, my question is, will either of these teams finally reach 100 points?

The Cavaliers won Game 1 of the series by a score of 97-83, and then Game 2 was played at a very similar pace with a final score of 96-86 – which gives us a series average of 181 combined points scored per game thus far, and roughly a 18.5-point edge on the under if that number persists in Thursday’s contest.

In my Game 2 preview, I noted that some regression could be on the horizon for a Cavs offense that received 76 points from Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jarett Allen, and Darius Garland on a combined 54% from the field and 39% from 3-point range in Game 1 – and while that did in fact come to fruition in the slightest way possible in Game 2 (97 down to 96), I still believe there’s plenty more regression to come, and we may see it on a much grander scale in Game 3.

Mitchell and Mobley came crashing back down to Earth in Game 2, with the duo combining for 40 points on 14-of-35 from in the field (31%) and 3-of-14 from 3-point range (21%) in Monday’s contest for the Cavs. Max Strus and Georges Niang were also terrible, as they shot a combined 2-of-11 from the floor and 1-of-9 from downtown in the win. 

Fortunately for the Cavs, however, they were bailed out in a big way by the rest of the supporting cast in Game 2, as the other four guys (Allen, Garland, LeVert, Okoro) that received playing time scored over half of Cleveland’s points (49) on 50% shooting from all areas of the floor – 18-of-36 from the field and 8-of-16 beyond the arc.

You know how it goes in the playoffs…at home, role players tend to step up and provide their team with an additional boost as they feed off the energy of the hometown crowd, and that’s exactly what we saw from Cleveland in the first two matchups of this series. 

With that in mind, however, the exact opposite tends to be true when teams hit the road in the playoffs, and Orlando’s extreme lack of offensive production early in this series has been a prime example of that, as the Magic averaged just 84.5 points on 34% from the field and 24% from 3-point range on the road in Games 1 and 2.

As this series transitions to Orlando for Game 3, I expect the competitive margin to shrink between these two teams – but I’m not so sure that will result in an overall increase in scoring. I envision the Magic keeping this contest close due to a sharp downtick in offensive production from Cleveland as opposed to a spike in efficiency from Orlando.

The oddsmakers can’t set a total low enough for this matchup. Neither team reached 100 points in the first two games. The Magic maxed out at 86. Orlando should be able to hit a few more shots at home in Game 3, but that will likely balance out with Cleveland missing a few more on the road. 

I said it prior to their previous meeting, and I’ll say it again now…Take the under and enjoy the rock fight.

Pick: Under 199.5 (-110)

Click this link for picks and predictions for all First Round NBA Playoff matchups!

Cavaliers vs Magic Game Time & TV Channel

Date: Thursday, April 25
Matchup: Southeast vs Central
Venue: Kia Center
Location: Orlando, FL
Time-TV: NBA TV, 7:00 p.m. ET

Cavaliers vs Magic Betting Stats

3) Cleveland Cavaliers
(2nd Place, Central)

  • Odds to Win Finals: +4500
  • Odds to Win Conference: +1600
  • Odds to Win Series: -800
  • SU: 48-34
  • ATS: 39-43
  • O/U: 40-41-1
  • PPG: 112.6
  • OPPG: 110.2

Click this link for the latest betting trends and market movements leading up to the NBA Finals!

6) Orlando Magic
(1st Place, Southeast)

  • Odds To Win Finals: +65000
  • Odds to Win Conference: 25000
  • Odds to Win Series: +520
  • SU: 47-35
  • ATS: 51-31
  • O/U: 37-44-1
  • PPG: 110.5
  • OPPG: 108.4

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Michael Crosson

Michael Crosson

Michael Crosson began his time at VegasInsider as a freelance NBA writer back in 2019 while he continued to study Psychology and Biology at James Madison University. Following his graduation in 2021, Michael joined the team full-time, and he's been with VI ever since. Michael still writes NBA, NFL, and MLB for VI, as well as gambling industry news. He's also become a crucial part of our editorial production team. More from Michael Crosson
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