Analyzing the Odds, Predictions, and Player Props for the Orlando Magic vs Detroit Pistons Game on January 1st

• The Orlando Magic visit the Detroit Pistons on New Year’s Day
• Already missing Paolo Banchero and the Wagner brothers, Orlando could be without Jalen Suggs (wrist) as well
• See the Orlando Magic vs Detroit Pistons odds, player props, and predictions on Jan. 1, 2025

The first NBA game of 2025 sees the Orlando Magic (20-14, 7-10 away, 18-15-1 ATS) visiting the Detroit Pistons (14-18, 5-8 home, 16-15-1 ATS) at Little Caesars Arena at 7:10 pm ET on Wednesday, January 1st. The injury-riddled Magic are still holding down the #4 seed in the East but are three games under .500 on the road this season, which – coupled with their trio of significant injuries – is why the Pistons are 1.5-point home favorites on Wednesday night.

Orlando Magic vs Detroit Pistons Odds

The Magic vs Pistons odds also list Detroit at -125 on the moneyline with the Pistons coming back as +105 road underdogs. The game total is sitting at 214.5 in Wednesday’s NBA odds, which is by far the lowest of the eight games on today’s slate. (The second-lowest is 220.5 in Pelicans vs Heat.)

Odds as of Jan. 1 at BetMGM. Claim the latest BetMGM promo code to land a bonus for New Year’s Day. 

Orlando is coming off a thrilling 102-101 comeback victory over Brooklyn on Sunday, a game which saw them erase an 18-point halftime deficit. Tristan da Silva had a team-high 21 in the victory, one of five Orlando players who finished in double-figures.

With Paolo Banchero (29.0 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 5.6 APG), Franz Wagner (24.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 5.7 APG), and Mo Wagner (12.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.4 APG) all out with significant injuries, Jalen Suggs (16.5, 4.2 RPG, 3.8 APG) is the team’s active leading scorer, and Sunday’s comeback win was made all the more impressive by the fact that Orlando’s point guard scored just eight points in a paltry 13 minutes. The Magic’s depth is proving near limitless.

Detroit had a three-game win streak snapped last time out, falling 134-121 to the Nuggets in Denver. Prior, they had won three straight road games all as underdogs of five points or more (133-125 at the Suns, 117-114 at the Lakers, and 114-113 at the Kings).

Soon-to-be All-Star Cade Cunningham (24.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 9.7 APG) had at least 20 points and 10 dimes in the three wins, but was limited to 17 and eight in the loss to Denver.

Third-year pro Jaden Ivey continues to morph into a great running mate for Cunningham. The former Purdue guard is averaging a career-best 17.4 PPG while upping his three-point percentage from 33.6% last year to an excellent 39.2% this season.

ORL vs DET Player Props

NBA player props from DraftKings on January 1st, 2025. See the available DraftKings deposit methods in your state/province. 

Cunningham leads the Magic/Pistons player props with a point total of 23.5, with the under slightly favored at -125. While that’s a half-point lower than his season average of 24.0, Orlando plays at the second-slowest pace and has the third-best Defensive Rating in the league through the first two-and-a-half months of the season.

Suggs has the second-highest total on the board at 20.5. As mentioned, he had just eight points in 13 minutes last time out, and that was largely due to a wrist injury. He’s officially listed as “probable” for Wednesday’s game.

Magic vs Pistons Predictions

Orlando pulled off a real magic trick last time out, pun intended. But they are a completely different team at home compared to on the road. With Suggs clearly less than 100% – and potentially out of the lineup – I am going to hammer the Pistons moneyline tonight. Detroit is one of the most-improved teams in the league and Cunningham is going to be head-and-shoulders better than anyone else on the floor tonight.

ORL vs DET picks:

• Detroit moneyline (-125) – 2.5 units
• Suggs under 20.5 points (-105) – 1.05 units

The Orlando Magic will face off against the Detroit Pistons on January 1st in what promises to be an exciting matchup between two Eastern Conference teams. As fans gear up for the game, many are turning their attention to analyzing the odds, predictions, and player props for this highly anticipated contest.

The odds for this game currently favor the Orlando Magic, who are coming off a strong start to the season. The Magic have shown impressive defensive prowess, holding opponents to an average of just 104.3 points per game. On the offensive end, they have been led by the dynamic duo of Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross, who have been averaging a combined 40 points per game.

On the other side, the Detroit Pistons have struggled early in the season, currently sitting near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. However, they have shown flashes of potential, particularly with the play of Jerami Grant, who is averaging 24.3 points per game. The Pistons will need to step up their defense if they hope to contain the Magic’s potent offense.

In terms of predictions, many experts are leaning towards the Magic to come out on top in this matchup. Their strong defense and balanced scoring attack give them an edge over the struggling Pistons. However, Detroit has shown resilience and could potentially pull off an upset if they can limit turnovers and capitalize on their scoring opportunities.

When it comes to player props, keep an eye on Nikola Vucevic for the Magic. The All-Star center has been dominant on both ends of the floor and could put up big numbers against the Pistons’ frontcourt. On the Pistons side, Jerami Grant will be a key player to watch, as he has been their go-to scorer and will need to have a big game for Detroit to have a chance at victory.

Overall, the Orlando Magic vs Detroit Pistons game on January 1st is shaping up to be an intriguing matchup with plenty of storylines to follow. With the odds in favor of the Magic and predictions pointing towards a victory for Orlando, fans can expect an exciting game as these two teams battle it out on the court.