The Orlando Magic can breathe a sigh of relief knowing they'll continue playing after the regular season wraps up.
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The Orlando Magic can breathe a sigh of relief knowing they’ll continue playing after the regular season wraps up. Similarly, the New Orleans Pelicans are feeling confident about their playoff chances. However, there’s still plenty of work to do, and both squads will be aiming to bolster their postseason outlook when they face off on Thursday night in Orlando.
The Magic (41-28) secured a spot in at least the play-in tournament by beating the Charlotte Hornets 112-92 on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, the fifth-seeded Pelicans (42-26) solidified their position in the Western Conference playoff race by defeating the Brooklyn Nets 104-91 on the same night, marking their seventh win in the last eight games.
Orlando has been on a hot streak, winning 12 of their last 15 games. However, it’s worth noting that their last 10 victories came against teams with losing records.
For the Pelicans, Daniels (knee injury) will not be playing the game. Besides, Ryan coudl sit this one out due to illness. As for the Magic, no injuries have been reported, and all players are available for selection.
Orlando, in the midst of an eight-game homestand, and New Orleans, on the second game of a four-game road trip, are both facing tougher competition as they go head-to-head. The Magic have secured their second non-losing season since 2011-12, matching their 2018-19 record of 42-40.
The Pelicans only have three of their last 14 regular-season games against teams with losing records. In Tuesday’s game, New Orleans jumped to a 24-point lead in the first half and maintained a 19-point lead at halftime. They never let the Nets come within single digits in the second half.
The Pelicans have now equaled their number of wins from last season with 14 games still to play. This marks their second straight winning season, a feat they haven’t achieved since the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons. This game marks the first matchup of the season between the Pelicans and Magic. They’ll face off again on April 3 in New Orleans.
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