Orlando Magic vs New Orleans Pelicans Betting Pick & Prediction 3/13/25
At 8:00 ET tonight, the Orlando Magic (-128) will travel to take on the New Orleans Pelicans (+107) in a non-conference matchup. The over/under line for this game is currently sitting at 217 points.
Orlando comes into this game with a record of 30-36 and currently sits 8th in the Eastern Conference. New Orleans, on the other hand, is 14th in the Western Conference and has a record of 18-48.
ORLANDO MAGIC VS NEW ORLEANS PELICANS BETTING PICK
The Pick: New Orleans Pelicans +1.5
This game will be played at Smoothie King Center at 8:00 ET on Thursday, March 13th.
WHY BET THE NEW ORLEANS PELICANS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 124-114 in favor of the Pelicans.
- Our projections have Zion Williamson finishing with 25 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists.
- From the field, we have the Pelicans finishing with a field goal percentage of 46.5% and knocking down 13 threes.
Does Orlando Have What it Takes to Win as Road Favorites?
Orlando’s record fell to 30-36 after a 97-84 road loss to the Rockets on Monday. The Magic, who were +3.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread. The game’s total of 181 points was well below the 210.5 O/U line.
Houston’s 13-0 run, which took the score from 19-13 to 26-19, set the tone early. Orlando couldn’t recover, especially after being outscored 24-16 in the 3rd quarter, and the teams traded 22 points each in the 4th.
In their 97-84 loss to the Rockets, the Magic struggled offensively, shooting just 32.6% from the field and 25% from three-point range, making only 8 threes. Paolo Banchero led the way with 25 points, adding 5 rebounds and 3 assists, shooting 43.5% from the field and hitting 2 threes at 33.3%.
Franz Wagner contributed 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists, shooting 35.3%. Cole Anthony was the only other player with more than 8 points, finishing with 9 on 30.8% shooting.
Even with a strong defensive showing, the Magic couldn’t secure a win against the Rockets, despite holding them to 97 points on 39% shooting. Orlando gave up 23 points in the 1st quarter and 28 in the 2nd, followed by 24 in the 3rd and 22 in the 4th.
The Magic struggled to contain the Rockets from beyond the arc, allowing 16 threes on 37% shooting. Houston also went 11/18 from the free-throw line. Defensively, Orlando recorded 10 steals and 5 blocks but allowed 20 offensive rebounds.
Will the Pelicans Defense Show Up at Home?
The Pelicans improved to 18-48 on the season with a 127-120 home win over the Clippers on Tuesday. Entering the game as +8 point underdogs, New Orleans not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread. The total points of 247.5 exceeded the O/U line of 222.5 by 24.5 points.
A key moment came when the Pelicans went on a 12-0 run, extending their lead from 32-23 to 44-23. Although the Clippers outscored New Orleans 39-37 in the 3rd and 30-29 in the 4th, the Pelicans’ 98-90 lead heading into the final quarter was enough to secure the win.
The Pelicans shot 55.3% from the field and hit 17 threes at a 54.8% clip in their win over the Clippers. CJ McCollum led the way with 23 points, knocking down 5 threes at 55.6%, while Zion Williamson posted a 22-point, 12-assist, 10-rebound triple-double, shooting 61.5% from the field.
Trey Murphy added 21 points, with 13 coming in the 3rd quarter. Zion scored 10 points in the 4th, and Jose Alvarado added 8 of his 14 points in the final period.
Despite giving up 120 points, the Pelicans managed to secure a win over the Clippers. They started strong defensively, allowing just 21 points in the 1st quarter, but struggled in the 3rd, giving up 39 points. The Clippers shot 50% from the field overall.
New Orleans did a solid job defending the three, holding the Clippers to 14 made threes on 33% shooting. The Pelicans also sent the Clippers to the line 18 times, where they made 14 free throws. Defensively, the Pelicans recorded 7 steals and 7 blocks.