Orlando Magic (16-28) vs New Orleans Pelicans (26-19)
Game Info: Friday, January 20, 2023 at 7:00 pm (Amway Center)
Betting Odds: Orlando Magic +1 -- Over/Under: 227 Click Here for the Latest Odds
Where to Watch: Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports NO Stream live sports and exclusive originals on ESPN+. Sign up now! 
The New Orleans Pelicans and the Orlando Magic duke it out at the Amway Center on Friday night.
The New Orleans Pelicans have been in a slump as they’ve lost seven of their last 10 games overall and they will be hoping to snap a two-game skid after getting scorched by the Heat in a 124-98 loss on Wednesday. CJ McCollum led the team with 21 points on eight of 17 shooting, Jonas Valanciunas added 18 points with 10 rebounds while Naji Marshall chipped in with 12 points, five rebounds and four assists. As a team, the Pelicans shot 46 percent from the field and 13 of 30 from the 3-point line as they struggled right from the start and leaked 70 points in the first half to fall behind by 19 points going into halftime and things only got worse in the second half where the deficit ballooned to 30 points at one stage.
Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic have been in similar form as they’ve lost seven of their last 10 games and they will be hoping to avoid a third straight defeat after falling just short to the red-hot Nuggets in a 119-116 road loss on Sunday. Markelle Fultz led the team with 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists, Franz Wagner added 19 points while Paolo Banchero chipped in with 18 points. As a team, the Magic shot 48 percent from the field and seven of 29 from the 3-point line as they got off to a terrible start and trailed by as many as 15 points, before they rallied back to take the lead. However, they couldn’t hold off the Nuggets and lost the game in the final second as Nikola Jokic drained the step back 3-pointer to snatch the game from them in the end.
Looking at the betting trends, the Pelicans are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 road games, 5-0 ATS in their last five games against a team with a losing record and 2-5 ATS in their last seven games overall. The Magic are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games, 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games against a team with a winning record and 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.
Head to head, the over is 5-1 in the last six meetings overall and the Pelicans are 2-6 ATS in the last eight meetings overall.
The Pelicans are shorthanded again as Herbert Jones, Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson are all out, while the Magic are still without Chuma Okeke and Jonathan Isaac. The Pelicans have really struggled since losing Williamson to injury and their confidence took a real shot to the guts after getting smashed by the Heat on Wednesday, so I’d rather go with the Magic who should be well-rested as they haven’t played since Sunday’s narrow loss to the Nuggets. The Pelicans are only 2-6 ATS in the last eight meetings overall and I think that trend continues here as the Magic get the win at home.
Peter’s Pick Orlando +1
AUTHOR: Peter Tran
Mitch's Take...
