Indiana Pacers vs Orlando Magic Prediction NBA Picks 10/28/24

The Indiana Pacers travel to the Kia Center to do battle with the Orlando Magic on Monday night. Here’s an Indiana Pacers vs Orlando Magic Prediction. This article will include an Indiana Pacers vs Orlando Magic Pick.

The Indiana Pacers will be hoping to avoid a third straight defeat after coming up painfully short to the 76ers in a 118-114 overtime loss last night. Tyrese Haliburton led the team with 22 points on eight of 18 shooting, Pascal Siakam added 17 points with six assists while Myles Turner chipped in with 14 points. As a team, the Pacers shot 46 percent from the field and 13 of 32 from the 3-point line as they looked to be in control when they poured in 35 points in the second quarter to take the lead into halftime. However, despite a clutch shot from Haliburton to send the game into overtime, the Pacers couldn’t stop the shorthanded 76ers from slipping away in the end. The Pacers will meet the Celtics after this game.

Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic kicked their season off with two wins in a row, but they are now looking to bounce back after getting routed by the Grizzlies in a 124-111 road defeat on Saturday. Franz Wagner led the team with 23 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, Jalen Suggs added 21 points with seven rebounds and four steals while Paolo Banchero chipped in with 16 points. As a team, the Magic shot 42 percent from the field and 17 of 48 from the 3-point line as they struggled mightily against the Grizzlies’ bench players and could never recover after getting outscored by 69-43 in the first half. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored just three points on one of six shooting while Jalen Suggs shot just six of 17 from the field.

 

Why the Orlando Magic will win

• The Magic have won each of their last 20 games at Kia Center against teams that held a losing record.
• The Pacers have lost seven of their last eight games when playing with a rest disadvantage.
• The Magic have covered the spread in each of their last 10 home games against Eastern Conference opponents that held a losing record.
• The Pacers have failed to cover the spread in seven of their last eight games as road underdogs on the second leg of a back-to-back.

 

The Pacers are still slightly shorthanded with James Wiseman still out, while the Magic are keeping an eye on Jonathan Isaac who is questionable with a hip contusion. The Pacers will be disappointed that they weren’t able to get the win over the depleted 76ers last night, but they won’t have any time to mull over it with the Magic next on the schedule. It’s hard to split these two teams at this early stage of the season, but the Magic have looked like the better team so far as they were playing great basketball before they fell to the Grizzlies. The Magic also have the extra day or rest to go with their home-court advantage, so I will back the Magic to take care of business in this spot.