RealGM

at




GAME INFO
Who: Orlando Magic at New Orleans Pelicans
What: 2023-2024 Regular Season Game 76
When: Wednesday, April 3 at 7pm ET
Where: Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana
How: Bally Sports Florida, NBA League Pass, 96.9 The Game (Radio)

GAMBLING
Line: NOP -4.5
Over/Under: 207.5 (Opened 214.5)

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

ORLANDO MAGIC HEAD COACH
Jamahl Mosley - Career Record: 100-139



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
F: Chuma Okeke
F: Admiral Schofield (two-way)
C: Goga Bitadze

Injuries: Jett Howard (G-League Assignment), Kevon Harris (two-way) and Trevelin Queen (two-way) are OUT. Caleb Houstan (ankle) is QUESTIONABLE.

New Orleans Projected Starters
G: CJ McCollum
G: Trey Murphy III
F: Herb Jones
F: Zion Williamson
C: Jonas Valanciunas

Bench
G: Dyson Daniels
G: Jordan Hawkins
F: Naji Marshall
C: Larry Nance Jr.

Injuries: Jose Alvarado (oblique) and Brandon Ingram (knee) are OUT.

This is a huge game that we have to win.

Not a ‘must win’ but it’s close. We’ll see how serious this team is tonight. This should be a playoff-like game.

DiplomaticMagic wrote:This is a huge game that we have to win.

Honesty we have been in this position for a while.

We are currently 4th. To maintain 4th, all the games are weighted.

thelead wrote:Not a ‘must win’ but it’s close. We’ll see how serious this team is tonight. This should be a playoff-like game.

I don't know if it is a must win per se. It's definitely weighted to playoff game intensity. We currently have home court advantage of NY. Much like Shaq said, if we have homecourt. I think we win the series.

If we don't, there is a danger we get swept.

I'm not expecting much In this one. With the way our offense has been lately( wide open shots) and being on the road I'm just not seeing it.

Ingram being out does help us and our defense may keep the magic in it, but I think we see a similar outcome come to the 3 game losing streak frok last week. Close
come up short in the end.

Now if they win this, it would be one of the biggest wins of the season in my eyes and clearly set them up to be nearly a lock for the 4-6 seed.

Well see. Go magic

This is exciting...Both teams would value the win as far as playoff ramifications. PLUS - ORL just dealt them a sobering smackdown a week ago, that still has to be stinging. Paolo's been hibernating through a few games and ready to bust out. Lots at stake - playoff road atmosphere.

If Orlando goes 4-1 over the final 5 road games, Orlando finishes with a wining road record this year. The last time that occurred was 2010-11.

drsd wrote:If Orlando goes 4-1 over the final 5 road games, Orlando finishes with a wining road record this year. The last time that occurred was 2010-11.

Wow we were really bad for that long?

Yeah, to me this is a serious must-win game as well...

This game is a proxy for advancing in the first round. Win? We'll advance. Lose? We'll go packing.

eyriq wrote:This game is a proxy for advancing in the first round. Win? We'll advance. Lose? We'll go packing.

Well, no reason to watch after tonight then

Anyway, I'm hoping hitting the road together will do the team some good. It kinda feels like the long regular season has taken it's toll and they have a hard time focussing and locking in every game. Hopefully the high stakes gets them up for the remaining schedule. That being said, NOLA is a good team, so it might not be enough. I'm just hoping for a good outing by the Magic and no injuries.

Everyone kept saying Jonas lost a step. Either age , injury ,miscles, fat, whatever. We need to pick and roll him. When he is out in the perimeter, NOP doesnt have anyone over 6'7 to guard the rim

It’s going to get interesting tonight.

With Philly getting Embiid back and Miami having a real easy end of the schedule, yes, this game is might be the difference between 6 and 4

With Philly getting Embiid back and Miami having a real easy end of the schedule, yes, this game might be the difference between 6 and 4 seed

This game is actually the opposite of a must win lol, but it would be nice to win to basically not have play-in stress, but it's the one game we're probably expected to drop out of the next 4.

Philly has too many losses. If they beat the Heat it'll be interesting, but if they lose, being below them would require us going 2-5, at which point we don't deserve playoffs anyway.

After that debacle win against Blazers, we have to come out intense and ready to prove we do belong in the postseason. AVOID the play in at all costs.

They are going to come out swinging. We need to match their energy.

Magic-man4609 wrote:After that debacle win against Blazers, we have to come out intense and ready to prove we do belong in the postseason. AVOID the play in at all costs.

After teams get beat by 60, they always have a dead cat bounce game (which was us). Yall freaking out about a game that is, in the grand scheme, meaningless.