Orlando Magic vs. New Orleans Pelicans: 3 Best Bets

Before the Orlando Magic travels to New Orleans, we have you covered with our three best bets.

For the second time this season, the Orlando Magic will take on the New Orleans Pelicans. The Magic defeated the Pelicans, 121-106, in March despite an excellent performance from Trey Murphy III.

The Pelicans are a game ahead of the Sacramento Kings and currently hold the sixth seed in the Western Conference, they are trying to avoid the Play-In Tournament that looks to be full of talent as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant are all going to have to play their way into the playoffs, as things stand now. The Magic and New York Knicks are tied for the fourth seed, so a win tonight will give Orlando an excellent opportunity to host a first-round playoff series.

Mar 21, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) receives a pass in a game against the Orlando Magic

Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

Both teams have short injury reports, with Caleb Houstan being questionable for the Magic. Both Brandon Ingram and Jose Alverado are out for New Orleans, so expect Zion Williamson to keep being the primary ball handler for the Pelicans.

Keep it posted her for our three best bets, powered by the lines at SI Sportsbook.

The Lines

Point spread: Pelicans -3.5 (-118)/Magic +3.5 (-110)

Money line: Pelicans (-188)/Magic (+145)

Over/under: 207.5

Our Picks

Safe pick: Jalen Suggs OVER 11.5 points (-133)

Jalen Suggs dropped 22 points against the Pelicans in the last matchup, and in the five games since then he has posted an average of 11.6 points, including a three-game streak of 15-point games. With Alverado out, the Pelicans still have a very good defense, but their point-of-attack defense will definitely take a hit.

Opponent pick: Zion Williamson OVER 26.5 points (-125)

Since Brandon Ingram was ruled out with injury, Williamson has averaged 25.3 points. If you remove the four-point stinker he dropped against the Miami Heat, that average skyrockets to 29.6 points. Jonathan Isaac should be able to keep Williamson in check during the limited minutes he plays, but when he's off the court Williamson will be a one-man wrecking crew.

Team pick: OVER 207.5 points (-118)

These two teams combined for 227 points in their last outing. Despite both teams prioritizing physical play and defense, the Pelicans are ruthlessly efficient and the Magic's scoring has been hot as of late, averaging 103.8 points over the last five games. If it can keep that streak going, expect the over to narrowly be covered.