Pelicans vs. Magic: 3 Big Things to Watch
ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic and New Orleans Pelicans will both look to snap two-game losing streaks on Friday night.
Orlando's last outing was all the way back on Monday, a 119-116 loss to the Denver Nuggets that finished with a Nikola Jokic go-ahead three.
New Orleans on the other hand has been handed back-to-back double digits losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat.
Here are three things to watch in this interconference matchup...
NOLA's McCollum and Valanciunas
Without Zion Williamson (hamstring) and Brandon Ingram (toe), the Pelicans have struggled mightily over the past few weeks, dropping seven of its last ten games.
The Magic should be able to take advantage with New Orleans down its two-headed monster, but CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas poise a legitimate threat for the Western Conferences fourth-place team.
Over eight games in January, McCollum has averaged 27.4 points while shooting 49.4% from the field and 47.2% from three point range.
For Valanciunas, the big man's been playing the best basketball of the season this month, posting 19.8 points and 11.6 rebounds while shooting a season-high 63% from the field.
Game-Time Decision for Franz Wagner
After suffering a sprained ankle in Wednesday's practice, forward Franz Wagner is ruled as a game-time decision for Friday's game.
If the second-year forward sees a decreased role expect, Bol Bol and Terrence Ross to see increased roles.
Wagner ranks second on the Magic in scoring, posting 20.3 points per game while leading this team down the stretch in multiple keys wins this season.
J.I. Soon?
The Magic announced that forward Jonathan Isaac would be recalled from its Lakeland affiliate Friday morning.
Isaac posted 15.8 points in 17.7 minutes in three G League appearances, his first appearances since the 2020 NBA Bubble
The No. 6 pick in 2020, Isaac will be placed on the Inactive List on return to competition reconditioning .
Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00pm.
You can follow Riley Sheppard on Twitter @RileyDSheppard.
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