On Friday evening, the Sixers and Magic meet in an Eastern Conference matchup. Philadelphia will be without PG/PF Ben Simmons, which will alter their offensive scheme a bit. The Magic, meanwhile are on a two-game losing streak. Let’s get into our Sixers-Magic betting preview, including odds, boosts, and picks.

But before we do, FOX Bet has a 76 to 1 odds offer on any Sixers bet in August. Sign up in Pennsylvania here and in New Jersey here.

Preview

The Sixers will face off against their former #1 overall draft pick Markelle Fultz, who’s averaging 10.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game in the Orlando bubble. The Magic have won both matchups between the teams this season, though the lopsided 112-97 result in November came against a Sixers squad without franchise center Joel Embiid.

The Magic enter play on a two-game losing streak, losing most recently to the Toronto Raptors 109-99. The Sixers are trending in the opposite direction, having beaten the San Antonio Spurs and the lowly Washington Wizards.

 

Sixers vs. Magic Odds

Here’s the line for the Sixers and Magic at DraftKings Sportsbook PA:

  • Spread: Sixers -4.5, Magic +4.5
  • Moneyline: Sixers -195, Magic +163
  • Total: 222.5

And here are the current best available odds for the Sixers (may not display on Google AMP pages):

 

Bets We Like With a Sixers Win

FiveThirtyEight gives the Sixers an 77% chance of winning with a -7.5 point line. So the Sixers have an implied win probability, based on the moneyline, of 66.1%.

The near 11% discrepancy between the projection model and the moneyline’s implied win probability is quite telling, likely affected by the human interpretation of how devastating the loss of point-guard-turned-power-forward Ben Simmons could be for the Sixers.

 

Sixers Win and Over 222.5 Total Points (+200, DraftKings)

Once again, we’ll go to the “take the over” well. Ben Simmons’ absence, though potentially detrimental if Shake Milton gets frazzled, should improve spacing for the Sixers’ offense. Philadelphia is coming off their lowest-scoring performance of 107 points since matching that number seven games ago back in March against the Lakers. Prior to the game against Washington, the Sixers were averaging 126.5 points per game, of which Ben Simmons was responsible for 13.5 per game.

The Magic, on the other hand, started like gangbusters in the NBA bubble, averaging 130 points ver their first two games against the dreadful Nets and Kings. In the two games since against the Pacers and Raptors, the team has averaged 104 points per game.

The Magic will get plenty of opportunities to score without Defensive Player of the Year candidate Ben Simmons in the lineup. Add to that the fact that the Sixers have allowed 120 points per game to the opposition since the NBA’s resumed play, and you have a recipe for the over to hit.

The only thing that could hold this bet up is if the recent trend of the Magic’s three-game win streak against the Sixers dating back to the 2018-19 season holds up.

You can get this one at DraftKings Sportsbook by clicking here.

 

Sixers, Pelicans, and Raptors All to Win (+300, FOX Bet)

FOX Bet is running a three-teams-to-win parlay at +300 odds. It’s not incredible value, per se, but there’s plenty to like about giving it a look.

We’re picking the Sixers to win, so if you want to add some value to that pick, the Raptors and Pelicans are where this bet hinges.

The Pelicans have had a rough go in Orlando, going just 1-3 since the league resumed play, all but eliminating them from postseason contention. So how in the world are they trustable in this bet? They’re playing the Wizards. Washington never belonged in the bubble and are playing without star guard Bradley Beal and big man sharpshooter Davis Bertans, who opted out prior to the resumption of play. The Wizards have done a commendable job in reaching the 100 point mark in three of four games in Orlando, but any early magic they might have hoped to capture is long gone.

Perhaps the biggest question mark in the bet is the best team to factor into it. The Toronto Raptors dispatched of the LA Lakers in convincing fashion 107-92 in their first game and followed that effort up with 107-103 and 109-99 results over the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic, respectively. The only issue for Toronto is that they’ll be playing a Boston Celtics team that pulled out wins in the first two matchups of the season. Toronto, to their credit, downed the Celtics 113-97 on December 28, but that was a game in which Gordon Hayward shot just 3-13 from the field. Hayward seems to have discovered his game in the bubble, averaging 18.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game in three appearances.

This bet isn’t a sure thing, but there’s a solid shot it hits.

New users at FOX Bet can get a $20 free bet with no deposit and a $100 deposit match when they sign up in PA here and NJ here.

 

Bets We Like Independent of Outcome

Shake Milton Over 4.5 Assists (+105, FOX Bet)

The Sixers’ starting point guard has averaged 3.3 assists per game in the NBA bubble, but without lead initiator Ben Simmons available, it stands to reason we could see Milton’s output jump in this game.

New users at FOX Bet can get a $20 free bet with no deposit and a $100 deposit match when they sign up in PA here and NJ here.

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Any Sixers Bet (76 to 1 Odds FOX Bet)

As noted above, FOX Bet is has a wild 76 to 1 odds offer on any Sixers bet this month. Sign up using the links here depending on your state and place your first bet for $1 on any Sixers single game bet (opt-in by selecting “challenges” once you’re signed up). You’ll be credited $76 win or lose.

Sixers vs. Magic Prediction

Pick: While never a sure bet to win by the installed point spread, the Sixers are still the superior team and should win this game. It might be tight, but expect the over to hit and the Sixers to win.

Take the Sixers and over 222.5 points.