Magic vs Pelicans

Zion Williamson presses on for New Orleans, hoping to turn their last win into the start of a streak, but the Pelicans are burdened by a depleted rotation that remains without a key rebounder in the post. Across the court, the Magic look to bounce back from a slump of their own, boosted by an improving defensive scheme and solid guard play. Historically, Orlando has thrived in road matchups against Western Conference foes when healthy, which raises optimism for a profitable outcome against a vulnerable New Orleans squad.

CJ McCollum continues to drive the Pelicans’ offense despite poor form as of late, and with Zion Williamson's availability always in question, he remains their key scoring threat. Meanwhile, the Magic hope to break their own slump, leaning on Paolo Banchero’s inside moves and Franz Wagner’s shooting. Historically, matchups between these two squads often feature sharper offensive bursts, particularly in New Orleans. Given the Pelicans’ desperation to snap their slump combined with Orlando’s balanced attack, taking the Over 217 looks enticing. This bet is graded an A- for its strong likelihood to hit and the solid return it could provide for risk-takers. Expect a scoreboard surge in the Big Easy tonight.

Orlando’s Paolo Banchero has been scorching the nets and sparking a modest two-game winning streak for the 30-36 Magic, while the 18-48 Pelicans struggle through a four-game skid that could continue with Zion Williamson's availablity always in question. Despite the raucous New Orleans crowd, Orlando arrives relatively healthy and has shown confidence against Western Conference squads, often finding success against smaller frontcourts. That advantage should give the Magic enough firepower to cover the -2 spread, securing a solid grade of B+ for both likelihood and favorable payoff.