🏀 Hornets vs. Magic Player Props: NBA Play-In Picks & Best Bets (April 17)

Our top NBA player props for Hornets vs. Magic on Friday feature LaMelo Ball Over 4.5 three-pointers made (+110), our best SGP, and more.

Corey Scott

Last Updated: April 16, 2026 2:36 PM EDT • 3 minute read

Pictured: Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1), seen here during a game, is featured in our Hornets vs. Magic player props. Photo by Jim Dedmon / Imagn Images.

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📡 SBR Edge: LaMelo Ball Comes Up Clutch at Kia Center

My Hornets vs. Magic player props feature LaMelo Ball Over 4.5 three-pointers made (+110). He's the league leader in 3-point attempts over the past two weeks and should bounce back from a poor shooting night in the 9-10 game. Paolo Banchero Over 22.5 points (-122) is my next NBA best bet, as he has attempted 22 or more field goals in five of his last six postseason contests.

🏀 Best Hornets vs. Magic player props: NBA Play-In Tournament

See all of our experts' NBA picks based on the latest NBA odds for the playoffs.

💰 Pick	💡 Best odds	⚖️ Bet size	🧠 Why I'm making this bet
LaMelo Ball Over 4.5 three-pointers made	+110 via FanDuel	0.91u -> 1u	Has attempted most 3PT per game in last 2 weeks
Paolo Banchero Over 22.5 points	-122 via DraftKings	0.61u -> 0.5u	Had 22+ FGA in 5 of his last 6 postseason games

Total wagered: 1.52 units | Max profit: 1.5 units

💰 Best Hornets vs. Magic prop bet

The Hornets have the ninth-shortest odds to win the NBA Finals.

LaMelo Ball Over 4.5 three-pointers made (+110)

While there’s no guarantee that Ball will hit his shots - even though he shot 39.2% from deep in his April regular-season games - it’s almost guaranteed that he will attempt enough to reasonably make five 3-pointers.

He ranks 1st in the NBA in 3-point attempts per game (14.83) over the last two weeks and has cashed this prop in five of his last six. Ball Over 4.5 three-pointers is +110 at FanDuel, but I would be comfortable playing this up to -105 on the best sports betting sites.

I also feature this bet in my Hornets vs. Magic prediction.

🔥 More Hornets vs. Magic prop picks

Our NBA playoff series odds break down all confirmed first-round matchups.

Paolo Banchero Over 22.5 points (-122)

Not only has Playoff Paolo been extra aggressive over the past two seasons, but he should attempt even more shots on Friday in an elimination game. He has attempted 22+ shots in five of his last six postseason games, dating back to 2025, and has scored 29+ points four times in that span.

Banchero attempted 16 shots in his last matchup against the Hornets but scored just 20 points on an uncharacteristically low 37.5% shooting from the field. Banchero Over 22.5 points is -122 at DraftKings, but I would play this up to -135 on the best sports betting apps.

🚀 Hornets vs. Magic same-game parlay

Kon Knueppel, despite being in a two-man race with Cooper Flagg for Rookie of the Year, has been an Under machine lately.

He has gone under this line in five straight games and was even benched during key possessions down the stretch in the 9–10 game. Bet365 thinks parlaying his Under with Hornets -3.5 should pay out at +320 - I think it should be lower. FanDuel offers the same parlay at +287.

💵 Hornets vs. Magic SGP picks

Hornets -3.5
Kon Knueppel Under 16.5 points

Best odds: +320 via bet365 (0.31u -> 1u)

💵 My betting record for NBA picks

All NBA picks, including SGPs, have been tracked since Feb. 10.

Bet type	Record	Net profit	ROI
Overall	113-135-4	-19.06 units ❌	-6.9% ❌
Player props	102-103-4	-20.49 units ❌	-7.9% ❌
Parlays	8-30	+0.08 units ✅	0.7% ✅
Spreads	2-1	+1.4 units ✅	35.9% ✅
Totals	1-1	-0.05 units ❌	-4.5% ❌

💡 How I'm betting Hornets vs. Magic: NBA Play-In Tournament strategy

Follow all of our NBA analysis and expert predictions this season.

I’m expecting a high-scoring matchup on Friday, which is partly why I’m betting Overs on Ball and Banchero.

I risked more on the Ball prop because I’m fairly confident the line is mispriced. While I like the Banchero prop directionally, it isn’t priced too far from where I’d set it.

I’m risking just 0.31 units on my SGP because parlays can be quite volatile (hence the higher odds).

🚑 Hornets vs. Magic injuries

📺 How to watch Hornets vs. Magic: NBA Play-In Tournament

Date: Friday, April 17
Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Kia Center (Orlando, Fla.)
TV: Streaming on Prime Video

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Written by:
Corey Scott

Corey is a Publishing Editor at Sportsbook Review and holds a diploma in Radio and Television Sports Broadcasting from the College of Sports Media in Toronto. He is one of the NBA player-prop specialists at SBR and focuses on the impact of injuries to identify where the market has been slow to adjust. Corey also frequently bets sides in the NBA, NFL, MLB, and CFL, typically using a top-down approach to beat the closing line. His work has appeared across the USA Today Network, Gambling.com Group, and Athlon Sports. With more than a decade of sports betting experience, Corey is familiar with all types of operators, from regulated sportsbooks to less conventional platforms, though he primarily uses Pinnacle and FanDuel. While he rarely bets parlays anymore - unless they are clearly mispriced - his biggest win came from a seven-team parlay at +13675 odds. Corey visits Las Vegas multiple times a year. His favorite resort is the Wynn/Encore, though he can be found at any sportsbook offering an off-market number.