New Orleans Pelicans vs Orlando Magic Prediction NBA Picks 3/21/24

Orlando Magic (41-28) vs New Orleans Pelicans (42-26)

Game Info: Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 7:00 pm (Kia Center)

Betting Odds: Orlando Magic +2.5 -- Over/Under: 212.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds

The New Orleans Pelicans and Orlando Magic meet Thursday in NBA action at the Kia Center. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Pelicans vs Magic prediction.

New Orleans Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans have been in terrific form as they've reeled off seven wins in their past eight outings and they will be gunning for a fourth straight victory after routing the Nets in a 104-91 road win on Tuesday. Zion Williamson led the team with 28 points, seven rebounds and four assists on 11 of 16 shooting, CJ McCollum added 16 points with five assists while Larry Nance Jr. chipped in with 13 points, 10 rebounds and two assists off the bench. As a team, the Pelicans shot 50 percent from the field and 10 of 34 from the 3-point line as they set the tone with their defense, holding the Nets to just 21 points in the first quarter to take the early lead, before they exploded for 37 points in the second quarter to lead by as many as 24 points at one stage.

Orlando Magic

Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic have been on fire as they've won nine of their last 11 games overall and they will be gunning for a fifth straight victory after routing the Hornets in a 112-92 home win on Tuesday. Cole Anthony led the team with 21 points on nine of 12 shooting off the bench, Jalen Suggs added 16 points with six assists on six of nine shooting while Paolo Banchero chipped in with 13 points and five assists on six of seven shooting. As a team, the Magic shot 54 percent from the field and 12 of 34 from the 3-point line as they dominated right from the start and never looked to be in any danger after outscoring the Hornets by an impressive 67-32 in the first half. The Magic will meet the Kings after this one.

Orlando Magic Player Facts

  • Jalen Suggs ranks 3rd in the Eastern Conference amongst qualified players for steals per game (1.4) this season.
  • Paolo Banchero is one of only 13 qualified players in the league averaging at least 20.0 points, 5.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds this season.

New Orleans Pelicans Player Facts

  • Herb Jones ranks 7th amongst qualified players for 3P% (43.3%) this season.
  • C.J. McCollum ranks 9th amongst qualified players for three-pointers made Per Game (3.3) this season.

Matchup/League Facts

  • The Magic rank 1st in the league for opponent assists per game this season (23.9).
  • The Magic rank 1st in the league for opponent rebounds per game this season (39.8).
  • The Pelicans rank 1st in the league for opponent three-point percentage this season (34.6%).
  • The Pelicans rank 1st in the league for Q2 opponent points per game this season (26.5).

Pelicans vs Magic prediction

The Pelicans could be a little shorthanded here with Matt Ryan listed as questionable, while the Magic are coming into this one with a full roster once again. The Pelicans have quietly been one of the hottest teams in the league, but you could say the same about the Magic who have barely missed a step in the last three weeks. You can make an argument for either side here, but the Magic are just too tempting as the home underdog in this spot, so I'm going with the Magic as a value bet.

Peter’s Pick Orlando +2.5

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The pick in this article is the opinion of the writer, not a PickDawgz site consensus.

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