Orlando Magic vs LA Lakers Player Prop Picks NBA Picks 11/21/24

The Los Angeles Lakers will face off against the Orlando Magic on November 21, 2024, at Crypto.com Arena. Both teams come into this matchup under somewhat compromised circumstances due to injuries, but they will still rely on their key stars.

For the Lakers, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are expected to lead the charge. While the Lakers have had some challenges early in the season, especially with injuries to players like Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt, they will rely heavily on their core duo. Davis has been dominant on both ends of the court, and James continues to defy age with his all-around play. However, the Lakers’ depth is thin, with several key rotation players sidelined.

On the other side, the Magic have been impressive this season with standout performances from Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs. Although Orlando is missing important pieces like Paolo Bancher, they have a strong young core that has kept them competitive. The Magic are currently on a 6 game winning streak but they’ll be on the back end of a back-to-back with playing the Clippers on Wednesday.

Austin Reaves Under 18.5 Points

Austin Reaves is averaging 17.9 points per game over 14 games, alongside 5.4 assists and 3.7 rebounds. He is shooting 45.0% from the field, including 36.7% from three-point range on 2.9 attempts per game. His free throw percentage is an impressive 79.6%, and he contributes significantly in terms of efficiency with a true shooting percentage of 59.0%.

We’ve seen Austin Reaves come down to earth in his last two games scoring 17 points against the Utah Jazz and only 10 points in the game before that against the New Orleans Pelicans. He has another tough matchup against the Magic. Reaves scores a lot of his points from beyond the arc and the Magic play great perimeter defense. The Magic are only allowing 11.9 three-pointers per game to opposing teams which is the 2nd fewest in the league. I expect this to be a lower-scoring game and I just don’t see a world where Reaves gets over this number of 18.5 points. 

Lebron James Over 9.5 Assists 

LeBron James has been a playmaking force so far this season, averaging 9.4 assists per game across 14 games. This marks him as one of the top distributors in the league. We’ve seen him have some huge games when it comes to an assist perspective. He had 14 assists on November 13, 2024, in a win against Memphis, complementing his 35 points and 12 rebounds. Another game 16 assists on November 10, 2024, in a victory over Toronto. It’s safe to say Lebron is still playing at an elite level even in his 22nd year.

I like him to get double-digit assists again on Thursday. He’s going to garner a lot of attention from this Magic defense which will open things up for his other guys. In his last 9 games, Lebron has gotten 10+ assists in 7 of those games. Until oddsmakers adjust his assist line I’m going to keep riding the trend and take the over. 

Franz Wagner Over 27 points 

Franz Wagner has been on fire as of late. He is averaging 22.9 points per game on solid efficiency, shooting 47.1% from the field, 36.0% from three-point range, and an excellent 84.6% from the free-throw line. His true shooting percentage stands at 57.1%, reflecting his effective scoring across different areas on the court.

In recent games, Wagner has consistently contributed offensively, with notable performances such as a 32-point game against the Phoenix Suns and a 31-point outing versus the Philadelphia 76ers, where he added 5 three-pointers. Franz Wagner has had to step up with Paolo Banchero not in the lineup and he should have another big night on Friday against the Lakers.