Orlando Magic at New Orleans Pelicans Betting Preview/Prop Picks
09 March 2022
The Orlando Magic are seated at the bottom of the Eastern Conference still. Although it's been a rough season for them, they've been able to snag some big wins.
Tonight, they face a team quickly moving up in the Western Conference, the New Orleans Pelicans. They're underdogs in this game and hoping to prove the sportsbooks wrong. Can they take down the Pelicans today?
The New Orleans Pelicans were on quite the win streak up until recently. Now, they've lost two games in a row, the first to the Nuggets and then to the Grizzlies.
In order to get back on track, they'll need to get a win over the Magic here. If not, they'll fall to three straight losses and could fall out of the top ten in the Western Conference. So, who's the best bet in this matchup tonight?
Orlando Magic: Jalen Suggs questionable for today's game
Injuries haven't been holding the Magic back, but it definitely doesn't help. The real problem is their offense barely averages over 100 points per game (103.77).
With an offense struggling to gain any momentum, it's not surprising they've only won 16 games. The Magic defense isn't doing any better, allowing opponents to score 111.76 points per game, ranking 20th in the NBA.
As they face the Pelicans, there are two players to worry about, C.J. McCollum and Brandon Ingram. If Ingram is ready to go and cleared to play, the Magic are going to be in trouble.
The good news for them is that Ingram sat out last night against the Grizzlies. There's a chance that Ingram will rest again tonight. If he does, they can put all of their attention on McCollum.
New Orleans Pelicans: Time to get the ship back on course
The Pelicans had a four-game win streak leading up to their last two losses. If they continue to lose games, all their hard work could be for nothing. This game against the Magic gives them the chance to get another strike in the win column.
The Pelicans' offense has been great recently; however, their defense is a big problem. This was apparent in last night's loss.
They faced off against one of the best offenses in the NBA, so we have to consider that. However, allowing any team to score over 130 points is a recipe for a loss.
Unfortunately, the Pelicans have done exactly that in their last two games. The good news for them is that the Orlando Magic don't have anywhere near the same offensive prowess. So, who's the best bet?
Our pick for the Orlando Magic at the New Orleans Pelicans
These two last faced each other in late December, before C.J. McCollum came to New Orleans. The Pelicans were 4.5-point favorites and won the game 110-104.
With C.J. McCollum running the show in New Orleans, we think the Pelicans have the best chance to win. The spread is larger this time, but we believe the Pelicans also have the best chance to cover.
In their last three games against the Magic, they've gone 2-1 against the spread. Brandon Ingram could also return tonight, bolstering the Pelicans' chances of winning. Take the New Orleans Pelicans to win the game at home, covering the spread, with the total going UNDER.
DunkelIndex Free Pick: New Orleans Pelicans, UNDER
Prop Pick
Orlando (-110) UNDER 106.5 Points
Orlando is averaging 103.8 points per game on offense, which ranks No. 28 in the league. That average decreases to 99.3 points per game over their last three contests. Scores have gone UNDER in five of the Magic’s last six games overall.
With Dunkel predicting a New Orleans victory by the score of 115-100, take the Magic (-110) to finish UNDER their Vegas team total of 106.5 points against the Pelicans.
Cole Anthony (-115) UNDER 16.5 Points
Anthony is averaging 17.2 points per game, which ranks No. 48 in the league. That average decreases to 16.8 points per game in losses and 13.5 points per game post All-Star break.
With Dunkel predicting a Pelicans victory tonight while keeping the Magic under their team total, take Anthony (-115) to finish UNDER his Vegas total of 16.5 points against the Pelicans.
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