New Orleans Pelicans vs Orlando Magic Prediction, Preview and Odds - 01/20/2023

Game Time: 7:00 pm ET, Friday, January 20, 2023

Venue:  Amway Center, Orlando, FL 

Where to Watch:  BSFL

DraftKings:  Point Spread:  Pelicans -2, Magic +2; Over/Under:  226 points

Bet365:  Point Spread:  Pelicans -2, Magic +2; Over/Under:  226 points

BetMGM:  Point Spread:  Pelicans -2, Magic +2; Over/Under:  226 points

New Orleans Pelicans:  26-19 (2nd place, Southwest Division)

Orlando Magic:  16-28 (4th place, Southeast Division)

Do not miss out on our expert handicapper analysis! Jack Banks is on a HOT STREAK in the NBA: 83-50 Run! Make sure you check out his picks and many more from the expert handicappers featured in the Shop Picks section.

New Orleans Pelicans:  3-7 last 10

Orlando Magic:  3-7 last 10

The Pelicans are coming into this game with a 26-19 record overall and they are 9-13 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game on a 2 game losing streak with losses coming against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat in their last game. CJ McCollum led the team in points in that game with 21 while Jonas Valančiūnas was next on the team with 18 points. Larry Nance, Jr. led the team in assists in that game with 6 while Jonas Valančiūnas led the team in rebounds with 10. They were 46.3% from the field, 43.3% from 3-point range, and 61.1% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 116.6 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 113.5 PPG against them. The Pelicans have an ATS record of 22-23 this season and their O/U record is 26-19.

The Magic are coming into this game with a 16-28 record overall and they are 10-12 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game on a 2 game losing streak with losses coming against the Utah Jazz and the Denver Nuggets in their last game. Markelle Fultz led the team in points in that game with 20 while Franz Wagner was next on the team with 19 points. Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony each led the team in assists in that game with 6 while Markelle Fultz led the team in rebounds with 7. They were 48.8% from the field, 24.1% from 3-point range, and 79.4% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 110.5 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 114.3 PPG against them. The Magic have an ATS record of 24-19-1 this season and their O/U record is 22-20-2.

The current betting odds have the Magic listed as a 2 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Magic haven't been great this season with their 16-28 record overall but they have played their best at home this season with a 10-12 home record and they have also been playing some of their best basketball over the last month. The Pelicans have been having a good year as they are 26-19 overall but they haven't been great in their road games with a 9-13 road record and they haven't been playing well in their games lately either. They have lost 2 games in a row now but they have been in a bit of a slump since their star player Zion Williamson went out with an injury, and they have also been missing some of their other key players as well. The Pelicans just haven't been playing well with these missing players and the Magic have a lot of young talent that has been coming together nicely over the last month. The Magic will bring their best effort here to win on their home court and beat one of the better teams in the West while their struggling. The best way to place a bet here is on the Magic to cover the spread in this game as they could pull off an upset here.

Pelicans Magic Prediction:  Our NBA Pick for Friday, January 20, 2023 (7:00 pm ET start time) is Magic 116 Pelicans 111.

Don't miss our champion handicappers free picks and expert basketball picks today.  And if you enjoyed this New Orleans Pelicans Orlando Magic prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our weekly NBA predictions and previews.

New Orleans Pelicans: 28-17 ATS off a home loss. 12-6 ATS after scoring 105 points or less 2 straight games. 16-7 OVER when the total is 220 to 229.5. 

Orlando Magic: 11-21 ATS as a home underdog of 6 points or less. 7-0 OVER after 2 straight losses by 6 points or less. 24-15 OVER in a home game where the total is 220 to 229.5.

New Orleans Pelicans:  H. Jones (PF) Ques Fri - Back. B. Ingram (SF) Late Jan - Toe. Z. Williamson (PF) Late Jan - Hamstring. E. Liddell (SF) Out indefinitely - Knee.

Orlando Magic:  C. Okeke (PF) Late Jan - Knee. J. Isaac (PF) Out indefinitely - Knee.

“We didn’t show up with a level of urgency that it takes to play against good teams. Tonight we didn’t have it. Normally, we do, but tonight, we didn’t.” - Willie Green after his team’s loss against the Heat in their game on Wednesday.

“To be on the back end of a five-game road trip and to give that intensity and that effort, coming down the stretch, where an MVP-type player makes the MVP-type play, that’s what it came down to.” - Jamahl Mosley after his team’s loss against the Nuggets in their game on Sunday.

PG CJ McCollum

SG Trey Murphy III

SF Dyson Daniels

PF Naji Marshall

C Jonas Valanciunas

PG Markelle Fultz

SG Gary Harris

SF Franz Wagner

PF Paolo Banchero

C Wendell Carter Jr.

PPG: Z. Williamson (26)

APG: C. McCollum (5.8)

Reb/G: J. Valanciunas (9.8)

PPG: P. Banchero (21.1)

APG: M. Fultz (5.6)

Reb/G: W. Carter Jr. (8.6)

Coaches:

New Orleans Pelicans: Willie Green (2nd season)

Orlando Magic: Jamahl Mosley (2nd season)