2025-26 NBA Playoff Odds: Why the long-term Magic is the best bet to win in the East

Nearly a week after the start of the NBA playoffs, several series around the league are starting to heat up. The shorthanded Lakers have a 2-0 lead, although they are big underdogs against the Rockets. The heavily favored Spurs are tied 1-1 in their series against the Blazers as the status of Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is in question following a concussion. Those aren’t the only upsets brewing in the West, as the 6-seeded Timberwolves have a 2-1 lead as they look to eliminate the Nuggets for the second time in three years. But where I want to focus is the Eastern Conference. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you register or place a bet, FOX Sports may be compensated. Learn more about sports betting on FOX Sports. The 7-seed 76ers won Game 2 against the Celtics as 14-point underdogs to even the series at 1-1, but there may be another potential upset lurking in the East as well. The Magic arrived this season, chosen by some to advance to the NBA Finals. Trading four first-round picks for guard Desmond Bane last June, many believed the Magic would have the ability to play deep into June. During the 82-game regular season, these lofty expectations were not met, as the Magic rolled to a disappointing 45-37 record and lost their first play-in game to the 76ers. But after beating the Hornets to earn the eighth seed, the Magic upset the top-seeded Pistons in Game 1 of the playoffs, before losing Game 2. The Magic are currently 55-1 to win the East. They’re tied 1-1 in their series with the Pistons, a 1-8 series that doesn’t look like a typical 1-8 (see Suns vs. Thunder, for an example). Before the season, the Magic had an Over/Under win expectation of 51.5 in the betting market, while the Pistons were around 46.5. Sure, we have a full season of games that show the Pistons are the superior team, but now, less than ever, the NBA regular season seems to resemble the playoffs. The Magic are just 2.5 points behind the Pistons going into Game 3 on Saturday, an indication that very little separates these teams in terms of talent. If the Magic manage to defeat the Pistons in this series, they would then face the winner of the Cavaliers-Raptors series. The path to the conference finals for the Magic is still unlikely. After all, there’s a reason they’re 55-1. However, if they manage to get that far, hedging by betting against them could guarantee a nice profit if that opportunity arises. Three years ago, the Heat overcame a play-in loss and had to rally to win their final play-in game just to make the playoffs. This team pulled off a series of upsets and found themselves in the NBA Finals a few months later after underperforming during the regular season. At 55-1 odds, it’s worth even a small bet that three years later another Florida team could come out of nowhere and make a deep postseason run. PICK: Orlando Magic (+5500) winner of the Eastern Conference