Milwaukee Bucks vs Orlando Magic Picks and Predictions March 8th 2025

Milwaukee Bucks vs Orlando Magic March 8th 2025

The Milwaukee Bucks (-268) will host the Orlando Magic (+219) at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 ET.

Orlando enters the game on a five-game losing streak and is currently 9th in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks are favored by 6.5 points and have won four straight games. The over/under line for the game is 218 points.

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Magic vs. Bucks Key Information

The Magic fell to 29-35 on the season after a 125-123 home loss to the Bulls on Thursday. Orlando was favored by 8.5 points but failed to cover the spread, losing outright. The game’s total of 248 points went over the pre-game line of 221.

Orlando went on a 13-0 run to take control, turning a 69-63 deficit into a 76-69 lead. They led 101-96 going into the 4th quarter but were outscored 29-22 in the final period.

In their 125-123 loss to the Bulls, the Magic shot 46% from the field, but struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 9 threes at a 27.3% clip. Paolo Banchero and Cole Anthony led the way with 20 points each, with Anthony scoring 11 in the 3rd quarter.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 19 points, shooting 80% from the field and hitting 2 threes at 50%. Franz Wagner contributed 18 points, scoring 8 in the 4th quarter, while Wendell Carter chipped in 17 points.

Defensively, the Magic struggled in the 1st and 2nd quarters, giving up 33 and 36 points, respectively, in their 125-123 loss to the Bulls. They tightened up in the 3rd, allowing 27 points, and gave up 29 in the 4th. Orlando allowed Chicago to shoot 50% from the field.

The Magic also had trouble defending the three, with the Bulls hitting 15 threes at a 37% clip. Orlando sent Chicago to the line 30 times, where they made 24 free throws. The Magic recorded 10 steals and 5 blocks.

The Bucks improved to 36-25 after a dominant 137-107 win over the Mavericks on Wednesday. Milwaukee was favored by -11.5 points and covered the spread comfortably. The total points for the game reached 244, surpassing the over/under line of 225.5 by 18.5 points.

Milwaukee took control early with an 11-0 run, stretching the score from 28-22 to 39-22. They led 43-30 after the 1st quarter and continued to build their lead, winning each quarter. Heading into the 4th, the Bucks were up 106-79 and closed out the game by outscoring Dallas 31-28 in the final period.

The Bucks shot 58.4% from the field and hit 45.7% of their threes, making 16 from deep in their win over the Mavericks. Damian Lillard led the way with 34 points, 5 threes, and 5 assists, shooting 73.3% overall and 62.5% from three.

Giannis Antetokounmpo added 32 points and 15 rebounds, hitting 65% of his shots. AJ Green chipped in 18 points, connecting on 6 threes at a 66.7% rate.

Defensively, the Bucks were solid after the 1st quarter, holding the Mavericks to 23 points in the 2nd and 26 in the 3rd, contributing to their 137-107 win. Milwaukee allowed 28 points in the 4th but still kept Dallas in check overall.

The Bucks held the Mavericks to 45% shooting, including 33% from beyond the arc, where Dallas made 13 threes. Milwaukee also limited the Mavericks to just 10 free throw attempts, of which they made 4. The Bucks grabbed 47 defensive rebounds, allowing only 5 offensive boards, while also recording 6 steals and 4 blocks.

The Bucks is our pick to not only win with a projected score of 131-115. But we also favor them to cover the spread. Our bet is on the Bucks at -6.5.

Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 218 and given that our model is projecting 246 points between the teams, we like the over.

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Magic Aim to Snap Losing Streak vs. Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks and visiting Orlando Magic are trending in opposite directions ahead of their Eastern Conference clash on Saturday.

Bucks Continue to Roll

Milwaukee enters the contest riding a four-game winning streak and has won eight of its last nine games. The Bucks will aim to complete a season sweep of the Magic, having won all three prior meetings this season, including a dominant 122-93 victory on Jan. 15.

The Bucks extended their winning streak with a 137-107 rout of the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way with 32 points and 15 rebounds, while Damian Lillard contributed 34 points. Milwaukee has scored at least 121 points in each of its last four games, raising its season scoring average to 114.9 points per game.

Antetokounmpo, who ranks second in the NBA with 30.8 points per game, has been particularly dominant against Orlando this season, scoring 41 and 37 points in two previous matchups. He also recently surpassed 20,000 career points.

“I don’t think about only this moment,” Antetokounmpo said. “I think about everything I had to go through in my life to be in this position… all those moments I had to sacrifice away from my family. It makes this moment all the more sweet.”

Magic Searching for Answers

Orlando is on a five-game losing streak, matching its longest skid of the season. The Magic finished a disappointing 1-6 homestand on Thursday with a 125-123 loss to the Chicago Bulls. The game was yet another close defeat for Orlando, marking its fourth one-possession loss in its last seven games.

Head coach Jamahl Mosley pointed to defensive breakdowns and rebounding struggles as key issues. Although the Magic lead the NBA in points allowed per game (106.2), they have given up 117.2 points per game during their losing streak, including surrendering 121 or more in three of those losses.

“We’ve got to sit down and lock in and understand exactly who we’re guarding and what we’re guarding,” Mosley said of his team’s defensive woes.

Orlando’s rebounding has also slipped. The Magic typically allow just 8.8 offensive rebounds per game, the best mark in the league, but they have exceeded that number in each of the last five games.

Playoff Implications

The Magic are now 6.5 games behind the Detroit Pistons for the sixth seed in the East, which is the last guaranteed playoff spot. Orlando currently finds itself in a three-team race with the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks for positioning in the play-in tournament.

Meanwhile, Milwaukee leads a tight battle for fourth place in the conference, sitting one game ahead of the Indiana Pacers and two games ahead of the Pistons.

Orlando must find a way to break its losing streak against one of the hottest teams in the NBA, or risk falling further in the playoff picture.

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