NBA
Orlando Magic vs Detroit Pistons Preview: Odds, Tips and Predictions
The New Orleans Pelicans travel to Florida on New Year’s Day to face the Miami Heat.
Malik Beasley and Keegan Murray//Getty Images
The Eastern Conference fourth seed, the Orlando Magic, fly across the East Coast to Michigan to play against the Detroit Pistons on their home turf. As the new calendar year approaches, the Magic hold a slight advantage in fourth place over the rest of the division, which looks increasingly competitive. The Pistons are in tenth place but are just behind the Chicago Bulls and the Indiana Pacers, but they share the same record as the former.
SportsBoom previews this fascinating battle, as both teams aspire to qualify for the playoffs. This preview details key players, value bets, and previous head-to-head records between the two sides.
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Match Details: Orlando Magic vs Detroit Pistons
Date: Wednesday 1st January 2025
Start time: 7 pm local time (12 am BST)
Venue: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Last meeting: March 22, 2024, New Orleans Pelicans 111-88 Miami Heat
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability
Orlando Magic: 11/20 (1.55) – 64.5%
Detroit Pistons: 3/2 (2.50) – 40%
Forecast Odds – Betting available on Stake closer to event
Head-to-Head Record
History shows that both teams have met 128 times in regular season games, with the Detroit Pistons winning 70 times. Despite winning the inferior 58 games overall, the Orlando Magic are currently enjoying a seven-consecutive win streak against the Pistons.
The streak started halfway through the 2022/23 campaign, which continues to this day. In the previous five meetings, the Pistons only came close to winning on one occasion in February, which ended in a one-possession game. Otherwise, the Magic look in fine form to continue the winning trend for the foreseeable future.
Last Five Matches
| Season | Date | Result |
| 2024/25 Season | November 23, 2024 | Orlando Magic 110-100 Detroit Pistons |
| 2023/24 Season | March 3, 2024 | Orlando Magic 113-91 Detroit Pistons |
| 2023/24 Season | February 24, 2024 | Orlando Magic 112-109 Detroit Pistons |
| 2023/24 Season | January 4, 2024 | Orlando Magic 111-99 Detroit Pistons |
| 2023/24 Season | December 8, 2023 | Orlando Magic 123-91 Detroit Pistons |
How is the season so far for both teams?
Orlando Magic
- Record: 19-14
- Home Form: 12-4
- Road Form: 7-10
At one point, the Orlando Magic were the sole team with a 100%-win record on their home patch, but their form seems to have dwindled in recent matches. Their 4-6 record from their last ten games shows the competitive nature of the entire league, which has resulted in their home record at 12-4.
Despite their marginal drop off in form, their best player was Franz Wagner, but the German-born star suffered the same fate as Paolo Banchero, suffering a torn oblique. The reality of Wagner’s injury has hindered the Magic to this recent slump in form. With both players out for an extended period, the Magic rely on 23-year-old Jalen Suggs. Suggs is posting his best points per game, with an average of 16.8 and has raised his rebound and assist rate.
Alongside Suggs, Goga Bitadze is one of the Magic’s best options at the center position. Their 2019 first-round pick has stepped up to another level with average rebounds per game, posting an average of 8.4, putting him in the top 25 players in the league. Though it isn’t as high as expected, his contribution to the team is of great value.
Detroit Pistons
- Record: 14-18
- Home Form: 5-8
- Road Form: 9-10
The Detroit Pistons currently have a 14-18 record in the league. While their overall performance shows some promise, their inconsistency on home turf is a significant talking point, posting a 5-8 record at Little Caesars Arena. The Pistons are among the few teams with a better away record than home but are close to being back at .500. The Pistons host the Magic, and a win in this context will be of huge help as the NBA season approaches the halfway point of the regular season.
Their standout star is their primary point guard, Cade Cunningham, who is improving in all areas every single year in Detroit. He is posting 24 points per game and averaging 9.7 assists per game, which suggests he is one of the best in the league at producing and contributing to the roster. Cunningham has produced two triple-doubles in his last ten games and posted double figures in points and assists on six occasions.
With Cunningham posting his personal best records in points per game and assists, 21-year-old Jalen Duren is helping with rebounds. Last season, he averaged a remarkable 11.6 per game, and while he is posting at a slightly lower level of 9.1 per game, his contribution in retrieving the ball has helped the Pistons in key moments this season.
Value Bets
Cade Cunningham: Over 20 Points and 5 Assists: Our first value bet is focusing on Piston’s central operator, Cunningham. Despite the eight times he has played the Magic in his relatively short career thus far, he averages 14.3 points per game and 5.6 assists. Cunningham has improved his seasonal average, and his current form indicates that he should compile over 20 points in this one. His stat line in a game in 2023 of 21 points and six assists resembles a performance that could be replicated on New Year’s Day.
Goga Bitadze//Getty Images
Goga Bitadze: Over 7 Rebounds: SportsBoom predicts Bitadze to post at least seven rebounds against the Pistons. From previous head-to-head records, this value bets points to the opposite, considering averaging 3.2 rebounds across 12 different matches. However, Bitadze is enjoying a purple patch due to the injured main stars. When he played two full games worth of minutes for the Magic and the Indiana Pacers, he posted double digits in points and at least eight rebounds in both games. This positive spell in form provides us with this consensus that he will be up for the challenge.
Prediction: Detroit Pistons to Win
Our final prediction is that it could be a close game, but we fancy the Pistons to win this clash. The Magic are struggling due to significant roster injuries, but the Pistons will use this match as a stepping stone to improve on their lacklustre home record. The Pistons’ star player, Cunningham, will be a pivotal factor in their success.
Henry Cheal is a versatile freelance sports journalist with extensive experience in the industry. Henry has previously worked at the 2024 World Snooker Championship and earned a Multimedia Sports Journalism degree from UCFB in 2023.
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