Basketball betting is highlighted on Saturday by an NBA-TV game as the Orlando Magic host the Portland Trail Blazers. It is the first of a four-game road trip for the Blazers as they are at Miami tomorrow. It is the first game of a five-game homestand in NBA betting for the Magic.
Basketball betting favors the Magic in this matchup as they have won five of the last six against the Blazers. Last season the teams split their two meetings. Orlando has won three of the last four at home versus Portland in this basketball betting matchup. Overall, the Magic have won seven of the last ten outright against the Blazers and they are 7-3 against the NBA betting odds. What was strange about last season’s matchups in basketball betting is that the road team won both times. That seems more unlikely this season as Portland is nowhere near as good as they were a year ago. Three of the last five meetings in Orlando between the two teams have gone over in NBA betting. That might not be the case this time since both teams are in the Top 10 in the league on defense.
Portland has been playing solid defense this basketball betting season as they are 3rd in the league but their offense has struggled. Injuries have been part of the problem but overall the Blazers simply are not at the same level in basketball betting as they were a year ago. Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge are carrying the team but making the playoffs even looks questionable for this Portland Trail Blazers team. The Blazers have been right around the .500 mark versus the basketball betting odds on the road this season.
Orlando has been winning most of their games but the price has been high which is why the Magic are just around the .500 mark versus the basketball betting odds. When you go to the Finals it does raise your profile and although the Magic are winning straight up, sometimes the NBA betting number is too high for them to cover. The Magic are one of the few teams in the NBA that are in the Top 10 in most points scored and fewest points allowed as basketball betting stats show. That makes them a serious threat to cover the basketball betting spread. Dwight Howard has been leading the Magic in most offensive categories again this basketball betting season.