Halftime Report
The Magic have overcome an early deficit to take the lead back in this one. Sitting on a score of 51-50, they have looked like the better team, but there’s still two more quarters to play.
The Magic came into the matchup with some extra motivation after the loss they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We’ll see if they’re able to flip the script or if it’ll just be more of the same.
Who’s Playing
Milwaukee Bucks @ Orlando Magic
Current Records: Milwaukee 19-16, Orlando 22-17
How To Watch
- When: Friday, January 10, 2025 at 7 p.m. ET
- Where: Kia Center — Orlando, Florida
- TV: FanDuel SN – Florida
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $35.02
What to Know
The Bucks are 8-2 against the Magic since December of 2021, and they’ll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Milwaukee Bucks will head out to face off against the Orlando Magic at 7:00 p.m. ET at Kia Center. Despite being away, the Bucks are looking at a six-point advantage in the spread.
Last Wednesday, the Bucks strolled past the Spurs with points to spare, taking the game 121-105. The over/under was set at 226.5 points, so nice work oddsmakers; you were right on the money.
The Bucks’ success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Damian Lillard led the charge by going 8 for 13 en route to 26 points plus eight assists and five rebounds. What’s more, Lillard also posted a 61.5% field goal percentage, which is the highest he’s posted since back in February of 2024. Another player making a difference was Giannis Antetokounmpo, who dropped a double-double on 25 points and 16 rebounds.
Meanwhile, things could have been worse for the Magic, but they could have been a whole lot better as they took a 104-89 loss to the Timberwolves on Thursday.
Milwaukee’s victory ended a three-game drought at home and bumped them up to 19-16. As for Orlando, their defeat dropped their record down to 22-17.
Keep an eye on the arc in Friday’s game: The Bucks have made nailing deep shots look easy this year this season, having averaged 14.7 threes per game. It’s a different story for the Magic, though, as they’ve been averaging only 11.4. Given the Bucks’ sizable advantage in that area, the Magic will need to find a way to close that gap.
The Bucks didn’t have too much breathing room in their match against the Magic in their previous matchup back in December of 2024, but they still walked away with a 114-109 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bucks since the team won’t have the home-court advantage this time around. We’ll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Odds
Milwaukee is a solid 6-point favorite against Orlando, according to the latest NBA odds.
The line has drifted a bit towards the Bucks, as the game opened with the Bucks as a 4-point favorite.
The oddsmakers are predicting a defensive showdown and set the over/under low at 210 points.
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Series History
Milwaukee has won 8 out of their last 10 games against Orlando.
- Dec 10, 2024 – Milwaukee 114 vs. Orlando 109
- Apr 14, 2024 – Orlando 113 vs. Milwaukee 88
- Apr 10, 2024 – Milwaukee 117 vs. Orlando 99
- Dec 21, 2023 – Milwaukee 118 vs. Orlando 114
- Nov 11, 2023 – Orlando 112 vs. Milwaukee 97
- Mar 07, 2023 – Milwaukee 134 vs. Orlando 123
- Mar 01, 2023 – Milwaukee 139 vs. Orlando 117
- Dec 05, 2022 – Milwaukee 109 vs. Orlando 102
- Dec 30, 2021 – Milwaukee 136 vs. Orlando 118
- Dec 28, 2021 – Milwaukee 127 vs. Orlando 110
