Thursday is one of the best days of the year for sports fans. Because nothing says March basketball like — wait for it — Magic vs. Hornets at the Spectrum Center.
The Magic (38-30) are in the thick of a wild four-team battle for the No. 5 seed in the East. Just two games in the loss column separate the fifth-place Raptors and the eighth-place Hawks.
Meanwhile, the Hornets (35-34) sit in 10th place in the East but are safely in the play-in tournament. They’re looking to catch the 76ers (37-32) for the No. 9 seed.
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Orlando enters Thursday on a two-game losing streak. The Magic lost 124-112 on Monday night in Atlanta before falling to the reigning champion Thunder one night later in Orlando.
Charlotte on the other hand is coming off one of its most lopsided victories of the season: a 136-106 win over the Heat on Tuesday. In that game, the Hornets outscored Miami 40-18 in the fourth quarter.
Charlotte is a 5.5-point favorite over Orlando on Thursday.
While Magic-Hornets is the marquee non-college basketball attraction on Thursday, there are other options on a sporting landscape that includes seven other NBA games and a full NHL schedule. Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet on Thursday, March 19. All times Eastern.
NBA best bets, where to watch
Magic at Hornets
Time: 7 p.m. | Location: Charlotte | TV: NBA | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Hornets -5.5
The Hornets have won three of their last four games, with their only loss over that span coming at the red-hot Spurs. Defense has carried Charlotte during that stretch. Since March 10, the Hornets have allowed 109.7 points per 100 possessions, which ranks sixth in the NBA over that time. That’s a significant improvement over their season-long average of 113.9, which is 15th in the league. On Thursday, Charlotte will face Paolo Banchero and an Orlando team that has lost two in a row and again will be without Franz Wagner and Anthony Black. The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, says the Hornets have a 64.0% chance to cover and assigns a B grade to Charlotte -5.5.
Clippers at Pelicans
Time: 8 p.m. | Location: New Orleans | TV: NBA League Pass | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Clippers +1.5 | Expert: Kris Dunn Over 4.5 Assists -104 (Prop Bet Guy)
The Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans will play for the second consecutive night when they square off on Thursday at the Smoothie King Center. On Wednesday, the Pelicans blew out the Clippers, 124-109. Los Angeles guard Darius Garland played on Wednesday, and Prop Bet Guy notes that he hasn’t played both legs in a back-to-back since December. “Reading the tea leaves — he’s likely sitting today, which slides Kris Dunn into the starting lineup as the primary ball-handler,” he says. “Without Garland or James Harden this season, Dunn has cleared this line in 11 of 14 games.” Meanwhile, the SportsLine Projection Model says the Clippers have a 63.0% chance to cover and gives a B grade to Los Angeles +1.5.
Suns at Spurs
Time: 8 p.m. | Location: San Antonio | TV: NBA League Pass | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Over 226.5
The San Antonio Spurs will look to stay hot when they host the Phoenix Suns at the Frost Bank Center. The Spurs (51-18) are 19-2 over their last 21 games and are returning home after a 28-point blowout victory over the Kings on Tuesday. Meanwhile the Suns (39-30) have lost three in a row. Note: San Antonio and its opponents have combined to score at least 227 points in six of the Spurs’ last seven games. The SportsLine Projection Model says the teams have a 63.5% chance to combine for 227 points or more and assigns a strong A grade to Over 226.5.
NHL best bets, where to watch
Mammoth at Golden Knights
Time: 10 p.m. | Location: Las Vegas | TV: ESPN+ Hulu | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Expert: Over 6
The Las Vegas Golden Knights and Utah Mammoth collide on Thursday night at T-Mobile Arena in what could be a preview of a first-round playoff series. The Knights are in a three-way battle with the Ducks and Oilers for the title in the Pacific Division. The winner of the Pacific is likely to face the Mammoth, who have a hammerlock on the top wild-card spot. Note: The last time these teams met, the teams combined for six goals. In addition, the Over has hit in three of Las Vegas’ last five games and three of Utah’s last five games. In the SportsLine Projection Model’s 10,000 simulations, the teams combine to average 6.5 goals, so the model gives a B grade to Over 6.
