Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Expert Pick And Predictions – May 5, 2024

ORLANDO MAGIC VS. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTIONS – MAY 5, 2024 — Happy Sunday, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA playoff coverage here at Godzilla Wins. The only game on the slate for today features the Orlando Magic (49-37 SU, 53-33 ATS) traveling on the road to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers (50-36 SU, 40-44-2 ATS).

Here is a look at which squad has the edge going into this series clincher and why.

Tipoff

When: Sunday, May 5, 2024 @ 7:00 PM ET

Where: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, OH

TV: ABC

Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings

Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers – Series Recap & Betting Trends

Can The Magic Notch Their First Playoff Series Win In 14 Years?

The Magic were one sequence away from sending Game 5 into an extra period. But instead of hanging their heads, this group bounced back with a 103-96 win in Game 6 to force the only Game 7 of the first round of these playoffs. As has been the case for most of the series, the frontcourt played a pivotal role in Orlando’s recent win.

Paolo Banchero paced the home team with 27 points and eight rebounds. Franz Wagner added 26 points and five boards, while Jalen Suggs contributed 22 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Although winning Game 7 on the road is no easy feat by any means, the Magic’s head coach wants his team to embrace the moment.

“This is the moment that you play for. It’s why you do it. You do it for these moments,” Jamahl Mosley said, via CBS Sports. “So being on the road, Game 7, the ability to come together to continue to grow in each game. I think that’s what this group is looking forward to. It’s not going to be easy, nor do we want it to be easy. The harder it is, the better we will be.”

The Magic are in the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. Furthermore, they have not won a playoff series in 14 years. Is this the game in which the road team finally pulls out a victory in this series?

Will The Home Team Hold Serve One More Time

The Cavaliers blew a chance to close out Orlando in Game 6. But thanks to finishing one game ahead of the Magic in the standings, the final game of this series will be played on their home floor, which is significant given that the home team has held serve through the first six games.

Donovan Mitchell put together a remarkable performance in a losing effort. He scored a team-high 50 points on 22-for-36 shooting from the field, hitting three of nine attempts from beyond the arc. He also tallied four rebounds and four assists.

Darius Garland also contributed solidly to the Cavaliers’ performance. He chipped in with 21 points, seven boards, and five dimes. Unfortunately for Cleveland, these were the only two players with standout performances. Additionally, Cleveland converted just seven of its 28 attempts from 3-point range. While Mitchell had his best postseason outing thus far, he understands the big picture.

“We did a great job of staying together, and we were all locked in, but ultimately, we didn’t end up with the victory. We just had to go home and take care of business,” Mitchell said after the game. “We didn’t win the game. At the end of the day, I had 50, but we lost.”

Now that we have set the stage for this Game 7 showdown let’s examine the betting trends for both sides.

The Spread

• The Magic are 4-1 ATS in their last five games.
• Orlando has covered the spread four times in its last five matchups against Cleveland.
• The Magic are 5-2 ATS in their last seven contests against Eastern Conference opponents.
• In its last eight May games, Orlando is 2-6 against the spread.
• The Cavaliers have failed to cover the spread four times in their last five outings.
• Cleveland is 2-5 ATS in its last seven matchups against Eastern Conference teams.
• In its last 15 matchups against Southeast Division opponents, Cleveland has converted the spread only three times.

Prediction: Orlando Magic (+3.5)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total for this matchup opened at 199 points, but the line has dipped to 194 points (per Pre-Game.com). Here is why going with the “under” is the smart choice.

• The total has gone UNDER five times in the Magic’s last seven games.
• The UNDER total has come out on top nine times in Orlando’s last 12 matchups against Central Division opponents.
• The total has gone UNDER four times in the Cavaliers’ last six outings.
•  In Cleveland’s last six contests against Orlando, the UNDER total prevailed four times
•  The UNDER total is 4-1 in Cleveland’s last five May games,

Prediction: UNDER 194 points

Player Prop Bet

Donovan Mitchell scored a whopping 50 points and nearly willed his team to victory in Game 6, as he accounted for 52 percent of the team’s scoring output. Given those facts, he is the key player to watch for the home team. He currently has -105 odds of scoring more than 28.5 points and -115 odds of finishing with less than 28.5 points.

Here is a look at how his numbers stack up against the projected points total for this matchup.

• Mitchell is averaging 26.6 points per contest during the regular season and playoffs.
• In nine games against the Magic this season, Mitchell has averaged 27.1 points per contest.
• During the playoffs, he is averaging 27.0 points per outing.
• Mitchell has played against Eastern Conference teams 40 times this season (including the playoffs). In those contests, he is averaging 27.7 points per outing.
• The five-time All-Star averages 26.8 points per game in 17 matchups against Southeast Division opponents,
• Over his last 10 outings, Mitchell has averaged 25.8 points and 4.8 assists per contest, exceeding the points total for this matchup four times during that stretch.

Prediction: Donovan Mitchell OVER 28.5 points