Magic vs Pacers

Orlando’s frontcourt, led by Paolo Banchero, gets a prime spot to keep Indiana’s nine-game slide going, with the Magic entering at 18-15 and just a one-game skid while the Pacers have cratered to 6-27 without Tyrese Haliburton for the entire season. Even with Franz Wagner out and several key Magic perimeter pieces on the injury report, Banchero’s history of shredding Indiana — including a 50-point night and averaging well over 25 per game against them — plus the Pacers’ reliance on Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard for creation makes Orlando the more trustworthy side despite being on the road. At -165, the combination of form, talent edge, and Indiana’s injury-riddled depth chart gives this play strong win probability with still-respectable value for an A- grade. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 31/12/2025 09:58([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/team/_/name/orl/orlando-magic))

Indiana’s nine-game losing streak has been fueled by a hemorrhaging defense that has repeatedly allowed opponents into the 130s, and now a fast-paced but shorthanded group leans heavily on Siakam and Mathurin for scoring with Haliburton and multiple rotation pieces sidelined. Orlando, meanwhile, is still putting up around 117 a night despite injuries to Franz Wagner and others, and Banchero’s track record of big numbers against the Pacers suggests he can drive efficient half-court offense while Desmond Bane and the Magic guards push the tempo against a tired, thin Indiana backcourt. The mix of Orlando’s top-tier scoring rate, Indiana’s recent high-total box scores, and both teams’ compromised defensive personnel point slightly toward points, but with variance from injuries and possible fourth-quarter garbage time, Over 225.5 earns only a B grade. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 31/12/2025 09:58([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/team/_/name/orl/orlando-magic))

Pascal Siakam has kept Indiana competitive in stretches, but with the Pacers riding a nine-game skid, missing Haliburton for the year and several role players for this matchup, asking them to stay within one possession against an 18-15 Magic team that has already beaten them by seven and four in recent Banchero-led meetings is a big ask. Orlando’s offense still has enough creation with Banchero, Bane, and Anthony Black to exploit Indiana’s porous defense, and the Pacers’ shaky late-game execution without their All-Star point guard has repeatedly turned close contests into multi-possession losses. Laying just 3.5 with the deeper, better-coached and more physical Magic side against a 6-27 team on a long losing streak offers solid value, so Orlando -3.5 gets a B+ grade. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 31/12/2025 09:58([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/team/_/name/orl/orlando-magic))