Cavaliers vs Magic Betting Odds and Picks for Game 6

The home team has won every game in the Eastern Conference first-round playoffs series between the Cavaliers and Magic with the series returning to Orlando on Friday for Game 6 with the home team favored on the NBA odds to force a Game 7 back in Cleveland.

Tonight Cleveland could be the next qualifier, where the Celtics are awaiting their opponent from this Gane in the Semifinals.

Expert Pick Magic -4 (total 200)

Cleveland Cavaliers Odds +124

The Cavs’ best player in this series has been center Jarrett Allen, but he surprisingly missed Game 5 with a rib injury that seemed to come out of nowhere and Allen didn’t practice Thursday, either, so that does not bode well for him playing Friday. Allen only received treatment Thursday and did rehab work as his teammates prepared for the Magic.

Coach JB Bickerstaff said Allen’s mobility is impacted by the injury. Bickerstaff did add he thinks Allen will at least try to play Friday if at all possible. That the Cavs have a Game 7 waiting at home might make them rethink pushing it.

Without Allen in Game 5, the Cavaliers eked out a 104-103 win at home, with numerous players stepping up in his absence to try to fill the defensive and scoring void. Fellow big Evan Mobley took Allen’s spot at center (usually plays power forward) and sealed the win with a recovery block on Magic forward Franz Wagner in the closing seconds of regulation. Mobley accumulated 14 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals in 39 minutes. Isaac Okoro took Mobley’s spot at forward and had eight points and four rebounds in 23 minutes. Marcus Morris Sr. was a much bigger part of the game plan off the bench with Allen out and had 12 points and three rebounds in 26 minutes.

Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 28 points but continued to struggle shooting at 9-for-23.

Orlando Magic Odds -152

The points were a playoff career high. In his first career playoff series, Banchero is averaging 24.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.2 three-pointers through five games. That said, Banchero had a poor choice to take a step-back, 30-foot 3-pointer with 1:29 to play in a one-point game as a shot the team would have liked to have back. But the only reason the Magic were in the game was Banchero’s sensational play. His 39 points exceeded the 34 points the rest of Orlando’s starters combined. The Magic simply didn’t execute late.

Veteran guard Gary Harris often starts but doesn’t play heavy minutes. He’s a game-time call for Friday after Harris suffered a right hamstring strain during Game, but Harris did participate in the walkthrough portion of Thursday’s practice. If he’s unable to suit up, Markelle Fultz, Cole Anthony and Anthony Black could see increased minutes.

Orlando is 39-27 (.591) all-time at home in postseason history.

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