The Orlando Magic (30-36) travel to face off against the New Orleans Pelicans (18-48) on Thursday, March 13th. This game will be played at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans and televised on Gulf. The Pelicans are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Magic are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Magic. Tip-off is set for 8:00 ET.

Magic vs Pelicans

The Magic Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Magic fell to 30-36 on the season after a 97-84 road loss to the Rockets on Monday. Orlando, who entered the game as +3.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread, and the total score of 181 points was well below the O/U line of 210.5.

A 13-0 run by Houston shifted the game early, taking the score from 19-13 to 26-19. Orlando struggled to recover, falling behind 75-62 by the end of the 3rd quarter. The teams played evenly in the 4th, each scoring 22 points.

The Pelicans Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Pelicans improved to 18-48 on the season with a 127-120 win over the Clippers on Tuesday. New Orleans, who were +8 point underdogs, not only won but also covered the spread. The total points of 247.5 exceeded the O/U line of 222.5 by 24.5 points.

A key moment in the game was a 12-0 run by the Pelicans, which stretched the score from 32-23 to 44-23. New Orleans led 98-90 heading into the 4th quarter and held off the Clippers, who outscored them 30-29 in the final period.

Magic Offense Breakdown

In their 97-84 loss to the Rockets, the Magic struggled offensively, shooting just 32.6% from the field and 25% from three-point range, hitting only 8 threes. Paolo Banchero led the way with 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists, shooting 43.5% from the floor and 33.3% from deep.

Franz Wagner added 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists, connecting on 35.3% of his shots. Cole Anthony was the only other Magic player in double figures, finishing with 9 points on 30.8% shooting.

Pelicans Offense Breakdown

The Pelicans shot 55.3% from the field and connected on 17 threes at a 54.8% clip in their 127-120 win over the Clippers. CJ McCollum led the way with 23 points, hitting 5 threes at 55.6%, while Zion Williamson added 22 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds, shooting 61.5% from the field.

Trey Murphy contributed 21 points, with 13 coming in the 3rd quarter. Zion scored 10 points in the 4th, and Jose Alvarado added 8 of his 14 points in the final period.

Magic Team Defense

Despite a strong defensive effort, the Magic couldn’t capitalize, allowing 97 points in their loss to the Rockets. Orlando gave up 23 points in the 1st quarter and 28 in the 2nd, before tightening up in the 4th, where they allowed just 22 points.

The Magic held the Rockets to 39% shooting, but Houston hit 16 threes at a 37% clip. Orlando sent the Rockets to the line 18 times, where they made 11 free throws. Defensively, the Magic recorded 10 steals and 5 blocks.

Pelicans Team Defense

Even with a strong defensive effort, the Magic couldn’t secure a win against the Rockets on Monday, allowing 97 points. They gave up 23 points in the 1st quarter, 28 in the 2nd, 24 in the 3rd, and 22 in the 4th. Orlando held Houston to 39% shooting overall.

The Magic struggled to defend the three, as the Rockets hit 16 threes at a 37% clip. Orlando sent Houston to the line 18 times, where they made 11 free throws. The Magic recorded 10 steals and 5 blocks in the game.

Magic vs Pelicans Trends

• Orlando has played well in their previous three road games, going 2-1 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 103 points per game while allowing 104. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-1.
• Although New Orleans has a straight up record of 1-2 in their last three home games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 0-3. The team averaged 120 points per game in these games.
• In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Pelicans have a straight up record of 3-7 and an ATS mark of 4-6.
• Looking back on the team’s last three games as the favorite, the Magic have a straight up record of 0-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 0-3.

Magic vs Pelicans Prediction

The Pelicans come in as the underdog at +1.5, making them our top choice on the point spread. We not only expect them to cover the spread but also believe they have a strong chance of winning the game outright, especially if you’re aiming for a higher moneyline payout.

As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 217, and our model projects the Magic and Pelicans to reach a combined total of 238 points. Our bet is on taking the over.

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.