In one of its toughest tests since the All-Star break, New Orleans lost a game Thursday to red-hot Orlando. The Pelicans are hopeful that they didn’t lose an extremely important player to injury in the process. Brandon Ingram exited the third quarter due to a knee injury, with its severity and the 2020 All-Star forward’s status to be determined (he will undergo an MRI on Friday). New Orleans plays the second game of a Florida back-to-back on Friday at Miami.
Orlando turned a five-point deficit through one quarter into a 20-point lead after three periods, by outscoring New Orleans 72-45 during the middle portion of the interconference matchup.
THREE POINTS
Crowding Z.
Even prior to Ingram leaving the action – which took away a major New Orleans offensive weapon – Orlando’s defense did an exemplary job making Zion Williamson see multiple bodies on his drives to the paint, leading to five first-half turnovers (he totaled eight, including offensive fouls). Williamson ended up scoring 11 second-half points and finished with 20 overall, but he battled early foul trouble and picked up charges against the Magic’s paint-minded defenders.
Trey Murphy and the bench.
In an extreme rarity, particularly in March, the New Orleans second unit was outplayed, with Orlando’s subs showing why they are a top-10 group (the Pelicans are No. 2 in bench plus-minus). However, Murphy was a bright spot for New Orleans reserves, scoring 21 points in 29 minutes, featuring 3/5 three-point shooting. His 10-point first quarter staked the visitors to a double-digit lead, but Orlando pulled back to within 28-23 by the end of that stanza.
Missed opportunities.
New Orleans shot 55 percent from the field Thursday, normally the mark of an above-average offensive night, but the Pelicans were severely damaged by committing 19 turnovers. Nearly as problematic, those mistakes led to 25 Orlando points. For a Magic team that leans heavily on defense and was impressive again at that end of the floor Thursday, the steady stream of Pelicans turnovers made it a much easier time for the hosts to generate offense.
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BY THE NUMBERS
9-2: Orlando edge in three-point makes in the first half. The Magic entered Thursday ranked last in the NBA in treys per game (11.0), while the Pelicans have been one of the league’s best perimeter teams lately.
14-6: Orlando edge in three-point makes for the game.
+23: Magic sixth man Cole Anthony's plus-minus in only 18 minutes, symbolic of the impact Orlando’s second unit made. Fellow backcourt reserve Markelle Fultz was plus-21.