The price continues to rise with the Magic...and why not? Orlando's current uptick features eight wins and covers in a row, including a 139-120 blowout of these Wizards two nights ago at Amway Center. For the third time in four games, Franz Wagner (31 points; that's 30+ two games in a row) led the Magic in scoring, but in the past two weeks, Paolo Banchero and Cole Anthony have also done honors, as did Jalen Suggs a few weeks ago, so it's obvious that Jamahl Mosley has various options at his disposal. Meanwhile among many problems for Wes Unseld Jr. is that Washington isn't playing much defense, allowing 130 or more five times in the last eight games. Not good! Play Magic

Depth is an issue for the Magic right now with Markelle Fultz (knee) and Wendell Carter Jr. (finger) out. Cole Anthony has been playing more because of their injuries, which has helped him score at least 20 points in three of his last four games. The one time that he didn’t during that span, he just missed when he scored 16 points against one of the best defensive teams in the league in the Celtics. After he torched the Wizards for 25 points Wednesday, look for him to surpass this total in their rematch.

The injury to Markelle Fultz (knee) has kept Jalen Suggs in a prominent role. Suggs has averaged 14.4 points over the last nine games without Fultz, logging 28 minutes per game and shooting 48.9 percent from the field during that stretch. Over his last six games, he has scored at least 18 points three times. That included a 22-point effort versus these same Wizards on Wednesday. Given their defensive struggles and the fast pace at which they play, the over is the way to go with Suggs here.

The Magic and Wizards just faced each other Wednesday. Franz Wagner dominated, scoring 31 points on 11-for-14 shooting from the field. That kind of efficiency isn’t sustainable over the long haul, but Wagner has scored at least 27 points in three of his last four games and is shooting 46.8 percent from the field for the season. With the Wizards having played at the second-fastest pace and posting the third-worst defensive rating in the league, look for Wagner to have another productive evening in the scoring department.

The Magic have won the last three meetings with the Wizards, the last coming in their first meeting this season two days ago in Orlando. The Magic won 139-120 and I’m betting they do it again despite playing so soon. The Magic have won and covered eight straight games and they’re the best cover team in the NBA at 15-3 ATS. The Wizards aren’t competitive, just 3-15 on the season and 1-10 in their last 11. One team cares, the other doesn’t, and they don’t play any defense allowing 50.3% shooting. Magic to cover.