Magic vs Grizzlies

Paolo Banchero and the Magic roll into London on a two-game winning streak after beating the Pelicans and then rallying from 20 down to top these Grizzlies in Berlin, while Memphis arrives off that draining 118-111 loss that dropped them to 17-23 and tightened the West play-in race. With Orlando near full strength outside of Jalen Suggs and only minor question marks like Jett Howard, compared to a Grizzlies side still managing a long injury list (Ty Jerome, Zach Edey, Scotty Pippen Jr., Brandon Clarke) and integrating a Ja Morant who’s just coming back from a calf issue amid off-court turbulence, Orlando’s depth and continuity look more trustworthy over 48 minutes. Recent matchups also tilt toward the Magic’s frontcourt: Banchero and Franz Wagner just combined for big numbers against Memphis’ defense in Berlin, and Anthony Black has already hurt the Grizzlies in crunch time, while Memphis is still leaning heavily on Jaren Jackson Jr. and streaky supporting shooting. Add in the fact that Orlando is pushing toward the upper half of the East playoff bracket while Memphis is simply trying to hang onto play-in positioning, and I’m comfortable siding with the more stable, deeper team on a neutral floor, so I like Magic -175 on the moneyline at a B grade for solid win probability but only middling payout. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 18/01/2026 09:37

Ja Morant and the Grizzlies should inject pace and creation back into Memphis’ offense if he plays, but he’s coming off a calf issue and a season of below-peak efficiency, and this quick turnaround from Thursday’s high-intensity Berlin game plus transiting to London sets up some tired legs and inconsistent shooting on both sides. The first meeting finished at 229 points, and while Orlando’s offensive ceiling is higher now with Franz and Moe Wagner back and Desmond Bane spacing the floor for Banchero and Anthony Black, the Magic have generally profiled as a balanced, defense-conscious group that can grind in the halfcourt when stakes are elevated, especially with Jalen Suggs out and their best perimeter stopper unavailable. With Memphis still down multiple rotation pieces in the backcourt and frontcourt and facing a neutral-site noon ET tip that often suppresses rhythm early, plus both teams acutely aware of the playoff-seeding implications of this last European showcase, I lean toward a slightly more physical, halfcourt-driven game than this number suggests and prefer Under 231.5 at -118, grading it a B- given the modest edge against a relatively efficient market total. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 18/01/2026 09:37

Franz Wagner and Orlando just showed in Berlin how their size, versatility, and depth can wear Memphis down over four quarters, with Wagner, Banchero, and the Wagners/da Silva frontcourt eventually overwhelming a Grizzlies team that still leans heavily on Jaren Jackson Jr., Santi Aldama, and patchwork big-man minutes around them. Even if Morant is upgraded from probable to active and gives Memphis more late-game shot creation, he’s coming off missed games and a lingering calf issue, and the Grizzlies remain shorthanded with multiple rotation players sidelined, which matters against a Magic roster that’s close to full health and trending upward in the East race after back-to-back wins and a shot at their first three-game streak since early December. Historically, Memphis’ stars have had big nights against Orlando, but in this specific matchup the Magic’s length and rebounding have recently tilted things their way, and with London’s crowd likely skewing toward Orlando’s sizable European contingent, I’m willing to lay the short number and take Magic -3.5 at -118 with a B- grade, acknowledging that late-game variance keeps it slightly riskier than the moneyline but still offering reasonable value if you believe in Orlando finishing this European swing 2-0. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 18/01/2026 09:37