Game 26: Magic at Pelicans GameThread

Who: Orlando Magic (11-14) at New Orleans Pelicans (6-20)

When: Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

Where: Smoothie King Center - New Orleans, Louisiana

TV: Fox Sports Florida

Line: Pelicans -1.5, O/U 218.5

Injuries: Orlando - Al-Farouq Aminu (out); New Orleans - Zion Williamson (out), Darius Miller (out)

Storyline: It’s the return of Nikola Vucevic. The Magic get their All-Star back just as they kick off a four-game road trip. It begins against a Pelicans team that has lost 11 straight games. Orlando is on a three-game losing streak of its own, with losses to the league’s elite in the Bucks, Lakers and Rockets. The Pelicans play at one of the quickest paces in the league, at 104.01 possessions per, which is sixth most in the league. They also own the league’s second worst defensive rating at 114.4. In Zion’s absence, Brandon Ingram had emerged as a franchise cornerstone, averaging 25.2 points per game (11th best in the league) on 49.4 percent shooting (including 40.7 percent on 5.6 threes per game). It’s also the first time that Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball, the first two picks from the 2017 NBA Draft, will square off.

For some pregame reading material, check out Garrett Townsend’s story on who and what is trending up or down for the Magic through one third of the season.

For some perspective from the other side, visit our friends at the Pelicans community The Bird Writes.

And as always, join the conversation below...