The New Orleans Pelicans will be on the road again when they face off against the Orlando Magic in an inter-conference matchup on Friday. The Pelicans come into this game having lost three out of their last four, including a 124-98 home loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday. The Magic, on the other hand, are returning home after a five-game road trip, where they went 2-3, including a narrow 119-116 loss to the Denver Nuggets in their last game.
The Pelicans are still dealing with a few key injuries, with Zion Williamson out with a hamstring injury and Brandan Ingram out with a toe injury. CJ McCollum has been stepping up, averaging 21.3 points per game on 43% shooting in January. Jonas Valanciunas has also been a consistent presence, averaging 14.8 points per game and 9.8 rebounds per game in January. Herbert Jones is questionable for this game due to a back injury.
The Magic will be glad to be back home after a challenging road trip. Paolo Banchero continues to impress, averaging 21.9 points per game in January, and Franz Wagner has also been on a scoring streak, averaging 20.3 points per game on 49% shooting. Wendell Carter Jr. has been a force on the glass, averaging 15.8 points per game and 8.6 rebounds per game this month.
The Magic have been inconsistent on offense recently, scoring 110 or fewer points in six of their last ten games. They are averaging 110.5 points per game on the season, putting them at 27th in the league. The Magic are also conceding an average of 114.3 points per game, placing them 17th in the league. The Pelicans, on the other hand, are averaging 116.6 points per game, putting them at 9th in the league, and are conceding an average of 113.4 points per game, placing them at 16th in the league.
In terms of betting trends, the Pelicans have covered the spread in only two out of their last six games, and have a 2-3 record in their last five road games. The Magic have a 2-3 record in their last five home games and are only 3-7 in their last ten games overall. The Magic are also 24-19-1 ATS and the Pelicans are 22-23 ATS. In terms of Over/Under, the Pelicans have an O/U record of 26-19 and the Magic have an O/U record of 23-21.
It will be interesting to see how the Magic fare at home after a long road trip and how the Pelicans respond to their recent losing streak. Both teams have been dealing with injuries and will have to rely on key players to step up in order to secure a win. The Magic will have to improve their offense and the Pelicans will have to improve their defense if they want to come out on top in this matchup.
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