Betting Results:
Head to Head: Bucks, odds 1.286
Line: Magic (+7.5), odds 1.93
Total Points: Over (215.5), odds 1.909

Pre-game Prediction:
Bucks, 62.6%
Magic, 37.4%

We tipped Magic at +7.5 over the line for this game, and it was another winning NBA pick for the Jump Hub team, as Orlando only lost by 5.

Bucks beat Magic 114-109 to return to the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas

By CHARLES GARDNER AP Sports Writer The Associated Press MILWAUKEE

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 37 points, Damian Lillard had nine of his 28 in the final minute and the Milwaukee Bucks returned to the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas by beating the Orlando Magic 114-109 on Tuesday night.

Milwaukee reached the semifinals of the in-season tournament in Las Vegas last December and will be the only returning team in Year 2. They will play Saturday against the winner of Wednesday’s quarterfinal between the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks.

Jalen Suggs led a short-handed Orlando team with 32 points but missed a potential go-ahead 3-pointer with 12 seconds left. Lillard was fouled and sank two free throws with 9.1 seconds remaining and Suggs missed a potential tying 3.

Antetokounmpo then made both free throws with 5 seconds left and the Bucks held on.

The Magic were missing forwards Paolo Banchero (torn right oblique), Jonathan Isaac (right hamstring strain) and Franz Wagner, who suffered a torn right oblique on Friday against Philadelphia; along with guard Gary Harris (left hamstring strain).

Takeaways

Magic: Orlando’s bench scored 28 points in the first half, including 13 by Moritz Wagner and 10 from Anthony Black. But Wagner did not score in the second half.

Bucks: Bobby Portis helped the Bucks erase an early 11-point deficit as he hit his first seven shots and scored 16 points in the first half. He finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds.

Key moment

Bucks forward Khris Middleton registered three consecutive assists — the first two on passes to Antetokounmpo and the third to set up a 3-pointer by Gary Trent Jr — as the Bucks took a 78-70 lead as part of an 11-0 Milwaukee run. Middleton did not score but had eight assists.

Key stat

Antetokounmpo extended his streak to 22 straight games with 20 or more points on 50% shooting, the longest streak to open a season in league history and the third-longest at any point in a season (Shaquille O’Neal and Zion Williamson, both 25 games). Antetokounmpo was 15 of 24 from the field.

This is how we previewed this game....

NBA Cup Magic at Bucks Betting Tips

We're 5 from 6 in our last 3 games, recently delivering a 12% profit on the day with our Knicks at Raptors tips.

We've tipped both games in the NBA Cup QF, our Mavericks at Thunder betting tips are available here

Dimers - forecasting a 111-104 victory for Milwaukee, and a gentle recommendation to back the Over 214.5 total point market.
Clutch Points - feeling bold with a Bucks -8.5 tip
Pickswise - tbc - no picks live at time of posting
Sportskeeda - similar to Clutch Points, feel a Bucks -7.5 is a bet worth having
Betting Odds - predicting a 111-104 win for the Bucks, they are pretty tight on the line ot the over/under, so looks like their best tips are Cole Anthony: Over 3.5 Rebounds and Dame Over 3.5 3-Pointers, both available at 2.10 or thereabouts
Sportsline - much stronger lean towards Milwaukee here, with a 114-100 win forecasted, and thus a Buck -7.5 bet advised.

Our Tip for Magic at Bucks

A 2-point bet on Orlando +7.5 spread is our game tip - odds 1.909
Returns $38.18 for a $20 bet

WIth Magic only losing by a margin of 5, it looks like we were right to tip Orlando at +7.5.

Magic at Bucks - Player Props Tips

Jalen Suggs: Under 20.5 Points at odds of 1.83. Suggs has fallen short in this market on 7 from 7 outings when Magic have started as underdogs, against a middling defense. We recommend a 2-point wager here.