On Tuesday, December 10th, the Milwaukee Bucks host the Orlando Magic in the quarterfinals of the Emirates NBA Cup. We’re going to dive into all the individual matchups in this exciting tournament. That said, keep reading for odds, picks and player props for this game, and make sure you also check out our live VSiN programming for more analysis. Our talented hosts and analysts will surely spend some time talking about these games. After all, the final three games of this tournament will be played in our backyard, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
MORE: Head to the Pro Picks page for best bets from all of our VSiN hosts and analysts!
How To Watch Magic vs. Bucks
When: Tuesday, December 10th at 7:00 pm ET
Where: Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Channel: TNT
Magic vs. Bucks Odds
Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook as of Monday, December 9th. Look around for the best prices!
Moneyline: Bucks -285, Magic +230
Spread: Bucks -7 (-108), Bucks +7 (-112)
Total: Over 213 (-108), Under 213 (-112)
Magic vs. Bucks Analysis
The Magic have been absolutely destroyed by injuries. Both Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are dealing with torn obliques. Wagner’s injury was suffered last week, and it was a massive blow for Orlando. Even without Banchero, the Magic were playing like an elite Eastern Conference team. That was largely thanks to Wagner looking like an All-NBA performer. As long as Jamahl Mosley is on the sidelines, Orlando will play defense at a top-10 level. But Wagner was stirring the drink for the Banchero-less Magic offensively. He’s averaging 24.4 points and 5.7 assists per game, and his ability to create for himself and others was crucial for an Orlando team that needs a little juice in order to take advantage of its defense.
The Magic were able to earn a win over the Suns in their first game without both stars. However, Phoenix was on the second night of a back-to-back, and the team has been awful without Kevin Durant. Beating the Bucks in a meaningful game is going to be a whole different challenge. This is a Milwaukee team that is suddenly playing some great basketball. The Bucks have won 10 of their last 13 games, and they now have Khris Middleton back. Milwaukee is at full strength, and we saw what that means in a close loss against Boston on December 6th. The Bucks are as good as any non-Celtics team in the East.
Not only are the Magic beat up, but this is also a brutal matchup for Orlando on a good day. If the Bucks are weak anywhere, it’s on the defensive end. They’re just 20th in the NBA in points allowed per 100 possessions in the halfcourt, but the Magic don’t have the ability to exploit that. With that in mind, whether or not Milwaukee covers will come down to how the team executes offensively. However, it is important to note that Orlando is 31-23-1 against the spread as a road underdog of 6.5 to 12 points under Mosley.
Honestly, the best way to attack this game might be with the Under. With Doc Rivers on the sidelines, the Under is 5-3 in the eight games the Bucks have played against opponents with winning percentages between 60.0% and 70.0%. And while Orlando’s meeting with Phoenix went Over, you probably shouldn’t count on too many games in the 220s without Wagner and Banchero. Also, Orlando is 27th in the NBA in pace of play, while Milwaukee is 16th. These aren’t teams that are looking to get involved in a track meet.
Magic vs. Bucks Player Props
Jalen Suggs Over 2.5 Made 3s (-154)
Jalen Suggs’ usage jumped from 24.6% on the season to 30.9% in the first game without Banchero and Wagner. The increase in opportunities led to a performance in which Suggs had 26 points in 31 minutes. Well, Suggs is going to have a huge role in this meeting with the Bucks, and it’s hard to look anywhere but here when it comes to player props. And the best way to do it is probably to take the Over on Suggs’ made 3s. Over the last two games, Suggs has launched a total of 22 triples. Suggs has also made at least four 3s in each of his last three games. He’s really shooting the ball well right now, and that’s hard to ignore when also factoring in the green light he’ll have in this game. On top of all of that, only six teams in the NBA are giving up more made 3s per game (14.0) than Milwaukee.
Magic vs. Bucks Pick
The only thing I’m personally going to play in this game is the Over on Suggs triples. While I like the Under, there’s no denying that the number is extremely low. And the spread feels like a genuine 50-50. Milwaukee might be the more talented team, but Orlando plays hard for 48 minutes and has one of the most competitive groups in the league. That said, the only thing I really want to root for here is Suggs to continue firing away from deep. He’s averaging 9.5 attempts per game over the last four games. Considering he’s a career 33.1% 3-point shooter, you’ll feel good about him making three 3s if he gets up that many shots again. That makes it worth the juice.
Bet: Suggs Over 2.5 Made 3s (-154)
