Hornets vs Magic: 3 Player Prop Predictions for Friday, April 17

We have officially made it to the final two NBA Play-In Games, which will determine the last two teams to make it into the playoffs, which start on Saturday and Sunday. The first game of the night is between the Charlotte Hornets and the Orlando Magic, the game we decided to focus our player prop efforts on.

The Magic are coming off a frustrating loss against the Philadelphia 76ers, while the Hornets are coming off an emotional win over the Miami Heat. There couldn’t be more on the line in this win-or-go-home matchup, so we’re excited to watch it all go down. With that said, let’s get into our favorite props from this one!

LaMelo Ball OVER 22.5 Points

LaMelo Ball is putting together the best season of his career, which is a major reason why the Hornets have been so successful all year. He’s been nothing short of fantastic to this point, and the whole world got to see him shine in their epic play-in win over the Heat.

It’s unclear how far the Hornets can make it in this year’s playoffs if they win this one, but we’re banking on Ball to have his hands all over this one, just like he did against the Heat. 23 points shouldn’t be a tall task for him, especially since Kon Knueppel’s scoring has disappeared lately, so we’re riding the hot hand until further notice.

Franz Wagner OVER 16.5 Points

Franz Wagner might not be a household name for every NBA fan, but he’s certainly been a guy for the Magic all season. He’s averaging just over 20 points per game, averaging 17+ throughout April.

This team has come to count on him in big moments from a points perspective, and if the Magic are going to win this one, Wagner will need to come out swinging. He doesn’t have quite the ceiling that Ball does on the other side of the court, but we still love his chances of coming away with at least 17.

Moussa Diabate OVER 9.5 Rebounds

We’re taking all overs in this matchup, which includes being supremely confident in Mousa Diabate’s ability to put a major rebounding performance together. Diabate was masterful in the Hornets’ win over the Heat, amassing 14 boards, and we’re projecting him to have a similar impact in this one.

Diabate is a big-bodied center who isn’t afraid to put himself in the mix, so getting at least 10 rebounds shouldn’t be an issue, especially in a game like this that means so much.