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GAME INFO
Who: New Orleans Pelicans at Orlando Magic
What: 2023-2024 Regular Season Game 70
When: Thursday, March 21 at 7pm ET
Where: Kia Center in Orlando, Florida
How: Bally Sports Florida, NBATV, 96.9 The Game (Radio)

GAMBLING
Line: NO -3.5
Over/Under: 207.5 (Opened 210.5)

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ORLANDO MAGIC HEAD COACH
Jamahl Mosley - Career Record: 97-136



ORLANDO MAGIC STARTERS

G: Jalen Suggs


G: Gary Harris


F: Franz Wagner


F: Paolo Banchero


C: Wendell Carter Jr.


ORLANDO MAGIC BENCH

G: Markelle Fultz


G: Cole Anthony


F: Joe Ingles


F: Jonathan Isaac


C: Moritz Wagner


ORLANDO MAGIC DEEP BENCH
G: Anthony Black
G: Caleb Houstan
F: Chuma Okeke
F: Admiral Schofield (two-way)
C: Goga Bitadze

Injuries: Jett Howard (G-League Assignment), Kevon Harris (two-way), Trevelin Queen (two-way) are OUT.

New Orleans Projected Starters
G: CJ McCollum
G: Herb Jones
F: Brandon Ingram
F: Zion Williamson
C: Jonas Valanciunas

Bench
G: Jose Alvarado
G: Trey Murphy III
F: Naji Marshall
F: Larry Nance Jr.

Injuries: Dyson Daniels (knee) is OUT. Matt Ryan (illness) is QUESTIONABLE.

Two healthy teams on significant winning streaks with playoff seeding at stake...big game.

Pelicans are a really good team. This will be a tough one. Hopefully Mosley uses the jumbo line up (WCJ/JI/Paolo/Franz/Suggs).

Anyway, here's Paolo crossing Zion and dunking on Valanciunas in preseason.

One of hottest teams in the NBA right now, Zion finally looking like a star. Orlando really needs to win this, I feel like it's been forever since we've beaten a good healthy team.

This is a great test for us. A win here would validate a belief that we can succeed in the playoffs.

Let’s see how we measure up. Finally a playoff team and not a bottom dweller.

eyriq wrote:This is a great test for us. A win here would validate a belief that we can succeed in the playoffs.

I like this narrative. Let's see just how mentally tough we are.

RichCollab wrote:Let’s see how we measure up. Finally a playoff team and not a bottom dweller.

Good grief, its like saying we were beating up on G League players and not people expected to play in the NBA.

Viper1500 wrote:One of hottest teams in the NBA right now, Zion finally looking like a star. Orlando really needs to win this, I feel like it's been forever since we've beaten a good healthy team.

I'll be sad that I wont be able to listen to most of it.

I agree that it is a great test and would be great to beat them. But let's also not get carried away with a potential loss. Feels like we are already warming up the doomsday alarms.

I don't favor us but I also don't feel like they're light years better than us and that we have no chance. They're a good team but we can absolutely win. Make Zion and Ingram work on defense. Don't let Jonas dominate the offensive glass. My number one focal point would be limiting turnovers and transition baskets for the Pelicans. You can't guard Zion while backpedaling, it just ain't happening.

We have to learn how to beat good teams before the playoffs. I'd rather play a hard schedule right now than an easy one.

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Need Franz to have a decent game versus a good defense. I believe in him!!

Scary game... I have to keep switching between this and March Madness games though.. lol

SOUL wrote:Need Franz to have a decent game versus a good defense. I believe in him!!

F-Wagner has dipped below 20 ppg for the season.

Really excited for this one, haven’t seen much of the Pelicans but they are one of the best in the West at the moment and a great test.
5am here walking the dog, coffee then cheering loudly for this one, sorry neighbours

drsd wrote:

SOUL wrote:Need Franz to have a decent game versus a good defense. I believe in him!!

F-Wagner has dipped below 20 ppg for the season.

Noooooooo

Winning this game would do wonders for my confidence in the playoffs. Lets beat a good team!!

Zion and Paolo are both on the bubble to make the 3rd-team All-NBA.

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FFBlitzace wrote:I don't favor us but I also don't feel like they're light years better than us and that we have no chance. They're a good team but we can absolutely win. Make Zion and Ingram work on defense. Don't let Jonas dominate the offensive glass. My number one focal point would be limiting turnovers and transition baskets for the Pelicans. You can't guard Zion while backpedaling, it just ain't happening.

this is a key to me, i'm going to need dell to pass on the muscle relaxers today and play with a high motor......on another note i wonder when we are going to shorten up the rotation

basketballRob wrote:Zion and Paolo are both on the bubble to make the 3rd-team All-NBA.

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Yes, great subplot

Beat da birds