Bobcats visit Magic in hoops battle

The NBA betting slate features a clash between Orlando and Charlotte on Friday, with the host Magic trying to win for fans supporting them with their cheers and their money.

The Bobcats will look to vanquish their hosts on Friday, as they are 21-18-1 ATS versus the spread this season, while the Magic are 16-22-1 ATS. Charlotte is 17-22-1 against the total, while Orlando is 17-22 versus the number. (Note: follow us on Twitter for line updates and injuries news).

View Charlotte Bobcats vs Orlando Magic Odds and Stats.

Sportsbooks such as Sportsbook had set the Magic as 1.5-point underdogs on the Sportsbook line for this contest. The total was listed earler at 188, but may be on the move at Sportsbook and other top sites.

It's a betting matchup between the No. 26-rated Magic and the No. 27-ranked Bobcats, according to the NBA Power Rankings here at Odds Shark. Predictive-scoring formulas run on this game indicate a potential 87-84 result in favor of the Bobcats.



Charlotte lost its last outing, a 95-92 result against the 76ers on January 15. The Bobcats failed to cover in that game as a 2-point underdog, while the 187 combined points took the game UNDER the total. Charlotte got 26 points from Kemba Walker en route to a 95-92 loss against Philadelphia on Wednesday at Wells Fargo Center.

Orlando was a 128-125 loser in its last match at home against the Bulls. They covered the 6-point spread as underdogs, while the total score of 253 sent OVER bettors to the payout window. Orlando got 35 points from Victor Oladipo en route to a 128-125 loss at the hands of Orlando on Wednesday at Amway Center.

How They Match Up:
The game also pits Orlando's No. 24-ranked offense, averaging 96 PPG, against a Bobcats defense that ranks No. 4 at 96.6 PPG. The Magic field goal percentage has averaged 44% so far, more than the Bobcats shooters have achieved on the year, 42.63% per game.

Next up:
Charlotte home to Miami, Saturday, January 18th
Orlando home to Boston, Sunday, January 19th