Paolo Banchero delivered a standout performance with 34 points, 11 rebounds, and four steals as the Orlando Magic secured a 113-93 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night. The victory kept Orlando (31-36) in eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings while officially eliminating New Orleans (18-49) from postseason contention.
Franz Wagner added 27 points, six rebounds, and five assists, shooting 11-for-17 from the field as the Magic built a commanding lead early. The team never trailed after taking control with 9:24 left in the first quarter, leading by 30 points at halftime.
The Magic shot 51.8% from the field and committed just eight turnovers, executing a clean offensive performance.
Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 20 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, but his efforts were not enough to keep New Orleans in the game. Trey Murphy III added 17 points, while the Pelicans struggled with only 15 second-quarter points on 5-for-18 shooting.
Orlando’s frontcourt proved dominant as Banchero and Wagner combined to shoot 25-for-39. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cory Joseph each contributed 12 points, with Joseph hitting two three-pointers and dishing out three assists.
The Magic’s defensive effort limited the Pelicans to 44.3% shooting and just 28% from beyond the arc. Orlando also won the turnover battle, forcing 13 New Orleans mistakes while committing only eight themselves.
New Orleans showed brief life in the third quarter, outscoring Orlando 27-20, but the deficit was too large to overcome. Jose Alvarado came off the bench to score 12 points, while Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Jordan Hawkins each added 11.
The loss officially eliminated the Pelicans from playoff contention, marking another disappointing finish for the franchise. Injuries and inconsistent play plagued New Orleans throughout the season, and their hopes of a late-season push ended with Thursday’s loss.
Orlando continues to fight for a postseason spot, with their recent form positioning them as a strong contender in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament.
