Should You Bet on the Orlando Magic to win the 2026 NBA Finals?
Coming into the 2025-26 season with high expectations after trading several draft picks for star guard Desmond Bane, the Orlando Magic has been one of the most disappointing teams in the NBA this year.
Orlando has shown flashes of potential, particularly on the offensive end, but has been wildly inconsistent defensively and rumours are already circulating that Jamahl Mosley (who finished second in NBA Coach of the Year voting in 2024) will be fired this offseason.
Mosley’s hands have been tied at times with injuries to Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, and others this season, leading to a lack of on-court chemistry. Paolo Banchero has notably clashed with his coach while providing some of the least efficient offense in the league at times.
To cap it all off, the Magic lost to the Boston Celtics backups in Game 82 this season, which cost them the No. 7 seed in the NBA Play-in Tournament. Now they will go play at the Philadelphia 76ers for a chance to make the playoffs and if they lose, they will host either the Charlotte Hornets or Miami Heat for a chance at the No. 8 seed.
Could the Orlando Magic emerge from the Play-in Tournament and potentially win a playoff series or two in the Eastern Conference?
Orlando Magic to Win Eastern Conference?
The Magic might not be super motivated to win a Play-in game at Philadelphia with the prize coming in the form of a first-round matchup against Boston. They would have a much better chance against the No. 1 Detroit Pistons, a younger and less experienced squad. Detroit’s star guard Cade Cunningham recently came back from a punctured lung and the Pistons have far less depth on offense than Boston.
Orlando split the season series with Detroit, 2-2, although the last win came in April after the Pistons had already clinched the No. 1 seed and were resting some players. Detroit’s lack of 3-point shooting and offensive creativity would be far easier for the Magic to handle than Boston’s spread attack.
While Orlando did a good job containing 3-point shooting this season, the Magic weren’t consistent against the top offenses in the league. They went 23-30 against teams with winning records and went 11-20 when listed as underdogs.
Despite their shortcomings this season, the Magic (+520) has the second-best odds among Play-in teams to win a first-round series. Orlando is listed at -420 to navigate the Play-in despite being listed as a slight underdog ahead of Wednesday’s matchup at Philly.
The Magic might be worth a wager on a first-round series win, but not against the Celtics. If Orlando winds up facing Detroit in the first round, consider backing the Magic at odds of 6/1 or better.
Best Odds: Orlando Magic to win Eastern Conference
Orlando Magic to Win NBA Finals?
Perhaps they could pull off the ultra-rare upset of a No. 1 seed in the playoffs, but the Magic likely couldn’t win two more series against the top teams in the East.
As mentioned, they have trouble with the Boston Celtics. Orlando got smoked in high-leverage matchups with the Atlanta Hawks this season and has lost big games to the New York Knicks over the past two seasons.
Orlando is simply not good enough offensively to be a mediocre defensive team. The Magic ranks 18th in fourth quarter PPG (27.4) and 27th in 3-point shooting (34.3%) this season. Banchero had a big playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers two years ago, but has generally regressed over the past two years, and Wagner isn’t fully healthy as we enter the postseason.
Orlando is listed at 45/1 to win the conference, which is a huge departure from the 5/1 odds posted after the Magic landed Bane in a trade this offseason. Yet those odds have shifted for good reason. The vibes are off with this team and they are unlikely to turn it around for an historic upset run in the East.
Best Odds: Orlando Magic to win NBA Finals
Photo Credit: AP/John Raoux
