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NBA Playoff Odds: Orlando Magic vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Written by Jimmy Boyd

magic-76ers-41609 The Orlando Magic won another NBA Southeast Division title and continued to improve, winning seven more games than they did a season ago, despite losing All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson for a good chunk of the season. The No. 3 seed Magic will face off against No. 6 seed Philadelphia, who enters the playoffs with some nice momentum after handing the Cleveland Cavaliers just its second home loss of the season in its season finale. The win, coupled with a Chicago loss, earned the 76ers the No. 6 seed to avoid the defending champion Celtics. That win could prove to be crucial as the 76ers get a Magic team which struggled down the stretch, losing three of its last four games.

No. 3 Seed Orlando Magic +500 to win the Eastern Conference – The Magic haven’t looked like the same team that they were in the first half of the season with Jameer Nelson running the show, but picking up Rafer Alston has proven crucial as he has done a nice job filling in. When looking at this series a few things stick out to me. The first is that Orlando was 3-0 against the 76ers during the regular season and two of those three wins came on the road. The second reiterates what I just wrote as the Magic are one of the best road teams in the NBA at 27-14 on the season. The third is the huge edge the Magic have on the interior with Dwight Howard. Howard has taken his game to another level this season, averaging 20.6 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game. The last thing I will comment on for Orlando is the matchup problems that both Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu cause as bigs with the ability to handle the ball like guards and shoot a high percentage from the perimeter. The Magic struggled defensively down the stretch, but now that the playoffs are here, I expect them to pick up the intensity.

No. 6 Seed Philadelphia 76ers +7500 to win the Eastern Conference – The 76ers really needed a win in its final regular season game to snap a six-game losing streak. The win will at least give the Sixers some momentum as they head out on the road for Game 1 in Orlando Sunday. The 76ers have exceeded expectations in my opinion as I figured they would be done for when Elton Brand went down for the season. Andre Iguodala has been sensational and Andre Miller continues to be one of the most underrated players in the NBA. The 76ers did gain some good playoff experience a season ago when they won Game 1 on the road and took the Pistons to six games, but that experience gained is not going to be enough to get them past the Magic. The truth is that the 76ers don’t matchup well with Orlando. The 76ers like to play a transition game, but Orlando is better at that style of play than they are.

Prediction: Orlando Magic in 5
The 76ers just don’t match up well with the Magic. Orlando has been one of the premier road teams in the NBA the past couple seasons so I expect the Magic to steal one away from home and then finish things off in Orlando in Game 5. Bet the Orlando Magic at +1200 to win the NBA Finals.

Let Jimmy Boyd’s expert NBA picks be your guide with your NBA wagering this postseason for the most winners against the NBA odds.

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