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NBA Playoffs 2019: Raptors vs. Magic odds, picks, Game 3 predictions from proven model on 77-62 run

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The 2019 NBA Playoffs continue Friday night as the Toronto Raptors take on the Orlando Magic in Game 3 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff matchup. The Magic shocked the NBA with a win in Game 1 on the road, but the Raptors were able to bounce back with a dominant victory in Game 2 to reestablish themselves as the favorites in the series. However, the Raptors will now head to Orlando to play at the Amway Center where the Magic went 25-16 during the regular season. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET Friday and Toronto is a 5.5-point road favorite with the total at 211.5 in the latest Raptors vs. Magic odds. But before you make any 2019 NBA Playoff predictions for Friday, be sure to check out the Raptors vs. Magic picks from the advanced computer model at SportsLine.

The model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, is crushing its NBA picks. It entered Week 27 of the 2018-19 NBA season with a sterling 294-242 record on all top-rated plays, returning more than $3,500 in profit to anybody following them. And it has been particularly red-hot on its A-rated NBA picks against the spread, entering Week 27 on a strong 77-62 run. Anybody who has followed it is way up.

Now, it has set its sights on Raptors vs. Magic. We can tell you it’s leaning under, but it’s also generated a strong against the spread pick that hits in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see that one at SportsLine.

The model is well aware that the Magic are feeling good about stealing a game in Toronto, especially when you consider that their biggest star Nikola Vucevic hasn’t had a big series yet. Vucevic has averaged just 8.5 points and seven rebounds per game in the first two outings after averaging 20.8 points, 12.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists in the regular season.

If the Magic can get Vucevic back up to his season-long averages while continuing to get productivity out of Aaron Gordon and D.J. Augustin, they’re going to feel really good about their chances to hang around with Toronto at home. Vucevic averaged 20 points, 15.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game against the Raptors during the regular season, so he has some success against Toronto to draw on to break out of his current funk.

However, Toronto came to life in Game 2 and if it can follow that blueprint again, it’ll have a strong chance of covering the Raptors vs. Magic spread in the NBA Playoffs 2019 on Friday. 

After losing the turnover battle and allowing the Magic to shoot 48.3 percent from the 3-point line in their Game 1 loss, the Raptors rectified both of those issues in Game 2. They won the turnover battle 17-7 and allowed the Magic to shoot just 26.5 percent from beyond the arc.

Kyle Lowry failed to score in Game 1 and let Augustin run wild on the defensive end, but he stepped his game up in a big way on both ends of the floor in Game 2. Lowry had 22 points and seven assists and dropped his defensive rating from 102 to 90, while helping limit Augustin to just nine points. If Lowry can have a similar two-way impact on Friday, the Raptors have the ability to pull away again.

Who wins Game 3 of Magic vs. Raptors? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Magic vs. Raptors spread you should be all over Friday, all from the model that’s up more than $3,500 on top-rated NBA picks this season.

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