The final first round NBA playoff contest gives basketball bettors another opportunity to strike it big on Sunday. Both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic have reason for optimism entering Game 7. So who will advance to face off against the Boston Celtics, and who's headed to Cancun?
Below, David Caraviello, Christopher Walder, and I take a look at the greatest NBA spread, moneyline, total, and player prop plays of the night to help you beat the books.
NBA Expert Picks Results: Second Round
| Expert | Record | Units |
|---|---|---|
| David Caraviello | 1-0 | 1.91 |
| Christopher Walder | 0-2 | -2 |
| Nick Holz | 0-0 | N/A |
Jump to Picks
Nick's Pick: Orlando Magic vs Cleveland Cavaliers Moneyline
Chris' Pick: Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Moneyline
David's Pick: Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers ATS
Orlando Magic vs Cleveland Cavaliers Game 7
Matchup Page: Orlando Magic vs Cleveland Cavaliers, 1:00 pm ET
| Team | Spread | Money | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando Magic | +3 (-110) | +136 | O 195.5 (-112) |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | -3 (-110) | -162 | U 195.5 (-108) |
Nick's Pick: Orlando Magic ML (+136), Jalen Suggs OVER 12.5 Points (-104)
I've been on the Magic to win this series since the playoffs began. Giving up on breakout star Paolo Banchero (24.5 point prop) and the Magic now would be fools gold.
The Cavaliers are vulnerable without the services of Jarrett Allen, who reportedly is struggling to lift his arms above his head. Allen was crucial in the Cavs convincing Game 1 and 2 victories. With Allen on the shelf, Cleveland is forced to lean even further on the skills of Donovan Mitchell (28.5 point prop), who dropped 50 points in Game 6, but was unable to lift his Cavs to victory.
Total 25-point games in the playoffs thus far…
— ORLmuse (@ORLmuse) May 4, 2024
• Paolo Banchero: 3
• Franz Wagner: 2
They’re the youngest duo to record at least two 25-point games each within their first 6 playoff appearances.#MagicTogether #EverybodyIn pic.twitter.com/gzPFHFZkA9
On the flip side, Orlando has the services of the Big 3 of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner (19.5 point prop), and Jalen Suggs (12.5 point prop). Each of the three is offering over 15 points per game. Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony are also available to contribute off the bench, giving the Magic a deep stable of shooters to rely on in Game 7.
The trends point to Cleveland winning this contest, as they've taken eight of the last nine contests SU at home against Orlando. However, I'm sticking to my guns by betting on the Magic's depth to pull through in Game 7.
I'm also playing Suggs OVER 12.5 points at -104 odds. He's gone over this number in two of the three games in Cleveland, and four of six so far this series.
Chris' Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers ML, Darius Garland OVER 17.5 Points (-118)
Nick essentially made the case for the Cavaliers to win moneyline for me, noting how Cleveland has taken each of its home games at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in this series and has dropped just a single game in its backyard to Orlando since the 2020-21 campaign.
The story through the first four games of this best-of-seven series was how the home side completely dominated the opposition, winning by an average margin of 21.25 points. Things got tighter in Games 5 and 6 when the road teams started showing up to work, yet the home team still prevailed.
Game 7 can go one of two ways for the Magic. One, their young core could play carefree basketball and compete with house money in a matchup they're not expected to win. Or, they could wither under the pressure of the moment in what's their first postseason run as a group and first for the franchise since the Bubble, repeating their performances from the series openers in which they couldn't even crack 90 points.
That 50-point outburst from Game 6 by Mitchell in a building he had struggled in during Games 3 and 4 was a good sign for where his shot is for this finale. He's been the best player in this series, and with the season at stake, you go with the hot hand and the proven commodity.
In the case of Darius Garland, he's only toppled the 17.5-point mark twice against the Magic, but that's come in each of the last two games. With Allen's status still in question as of early Sunday morning, Mitchell needs a No. 2 to alleviate some of the scoring load, which should bode well for Garland's chances to make it three-straight games with 20 or more points.
David's Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers ATS -3
Home-court advantage has held throughout this competitive first-round series, so the natural play is backing the Cavaliers to cover and close out in Cleveland. The Magic are young and deep and on the rise, but Mitchell has had a phenomenal series and should be the difference-maker in Game 7.
