Two of the hottest teams in the NBA will square off tonight in Orlando as the Magic host the Pelicans. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 ET at the Kia Center. Orlando has won four straight games and is currently 5th in the Eastern Conference standings. Meanwhile, New Orleans has won three straight and sits 5th in the West.

Oddsmakers have the Pelicans listed as 2.5-point road favorites. The over/under line for the game is 208.5. Television coverage will be provided by BSF.

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS VS ORLANDO MAGIC BETTING PICK

The Pick: New Orleans Pelicans -2.5

This game will be played at Kia Center at 7:00 ET on Thursday, March 21st.

WHY BET THE NEW ORLEANS PELICANS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 114-110 in favor of the Pelicans.
  • Our projections have Zion Williamson finishing with Zion Williamson points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
  • From the field, we have the Pelicans finishing with a field goal percentage of 48.5% and knocking down 14 threes.

Will New Orleans Come Through as Road Favorites?

The Pelicans have an overall record of 42-26, which is good for 5th place in the Western Conference. In games against other Western Conference teams, they are 26-18 compared to 16-8 against the East.

On the road, the Pelicans are 22-13 this season and have won four straight games. Against the spread, they are 19-15 on the road and have covered in their last two games.

This season, the Pelicans have an O/U record of 29-39, and their games have averaged 226.7 points per game. Today’s O/U line is set at 208.5.

New Orleans’ most recent game was a 104-91 win over the Nets. They were favored by 7 points in that game, giving them an ATS win. The game finished with a combined scoring total of 195 points, going under the O/U line of 216.

In Pelicans’ games this season, they have been favored in 43 of their 68 games. Overall, they are 29-14 as the favorite and have an ATS record of 23-19 when favored. As the favorite, they have gone 3-0 ATS.

When it comes to scoring, the Pelicans are 13th in the NBA at 116 points per game. Interestingly, their scoring numbers have been almost identical on the road (115.4 PPG) compared to at home (116.6 PPG).

Overall, New Orleans has outscored the league average in 54.4% of their games this season. In terms of pace, they are 17th in the NBA at 97.6 possessions per game.

One area where the Pelicans have excelled is in two-point shooting, as they are 12th in the league in two-point shooting percentage at 55%. However, they are just 25th in three-point attempts per game (32.4) and 17th in three-point shooting percentage (38%).

New Orleans’ defense has been playing well, ranking 8th in the NBA with 110.7 points allowed per game. Inside the arc, the Pelicans defense is giving up a shooting percentage of 54.9% and 34.5% from three-point territory.

Taking a Look at the Magic Chances at Home

Orlando is currently 5th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 41-28. In the Southeast Division, they are in 1st place. At home, the Magic have won three straight games and have a record of 24-9.

As the underdog, Orlando has gone 16-24 this season and is 23-17 against the spread as the underdog. They have lost two straight games as the underdog.

On average, Orlando’s games have finished with a combined scoring total of 219.6 points. Today’s O/U line is set at 208.5, and the Magic have a record of 32-37 on the over/under this season.

In their last game, the Magic defeated the Hornets by a score of 112-92. They were favored by 13 points in that game and covered the spread. The O/U line for that game was 203.5.

Against the spread, Orlando has covered in four straight games, and they are 46-23 ATS for the season. Today, they are 2.5-point underdogs.

At home, the Magic are averaging 113.6 points per game, which is 19th in the league. Overall, they are 26th in scoring at 110.8 points per game.

When it comes to three-point shooting, Orlando is last in the NBA in made threes per game at 11. On the season, they are shooting 35% from beyond the arc.

Despite being 14th in offensive rebounds, the Magic are just 27th in assists at 24.6 per game. In terms of pace, they are 26th in the league at 96.9 possessions per game.

For the season, Orlando is sitting 3rd in terms of points allowed per game (108.8). It is worth noting they have given up a fewer number of points in two straight games. Inside the arc, the Magic defense is giving up a shooting percentage of 54.9% and 35.5% from three-point territory.