Posted at 12:30 AM EST. Odds subject to change.

Pinnacle N/A BET365 -2 -110 Sportsinteraction -1½ -110 888Sport -1½ -117

New Orleans -1½ over Orlando

Best Odds: -110 at Sportsinteraction

7:10 PM EST. Cute Magic, cute, it's been adorable, but now it's time for a big-boy matchup. Winners of 7 of their last 8, New Orleans has turned up the volume lately. On a mission to get a higher seed in the Western Conference playoffs and prove they can hang with the best, a completely healthy Pelicans' squad is knocking hard on the door of relevancy. What was a relatively quiet ascension has turned into what should be viewed as a scary surge by other Western rivals, as New Orleans has quickly become one of the NBA's best programs. That starts with their defense. Allowing just 103 ppg in their last 10 contests, the Pels are suffocating offenses in impressive fashion, and it's not like they've faced cupcakes, either. During their recent stretch they've kept the Clippers, Sixers, Pacers and Knicks all to some of their lowest totals of the season.

They haven't been slouches on offense, either. Ranked 4th overall in March, the Pelicans are getting superstar performances from Zion Williamson, who looks leaner and meaner than he ever has. He averaged 28.5 points in his last 6 games, he's hit a season high average in rebounds (7.8 per game this month), and he's been more physical and dominant in the game's most trying moments. New Orleans already has one of the most talented and deepest rosters in the association, but for a long time they were an outfit without a true leader. If Zion continues on his current trajectory, that might not be the case. And a team as talented as the Pelicans, with a new dynamic chemistry and clear leader, means only greater things are to come. The Pels are also led in more subtle ways by quiet veterans like CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Herb Jones, and Jonas Valancuinas. As far as head coaches go, Willie Green is as respected and trusted as any in the NBA. New Orleans has risen considerably in our power ratings and all signs suggest that their breakout season isn't slowing down anytime soon.

On the other hand, the Orlando Magic have been surging recently, too, but we're still reluctant to crown them a as one of the "great" teams. Why? Well, for starters, they've had a favorable schedule. Since the start of February, Orlando is 16-5 straight up. Their roster is clearly more mature and more capable than season's past, and they should no longer be considered "mid." The Magic are a good team. The question is: are they good enough to hang with a truly great team? They'll need to be to defeat the Pelicans in their current form, and we're not that confident they can make it happen. Since the start of February, Orlando has had a few impressive wins. That is, if you call clobbering a beat-up Knicks' squad and the Cavs without Donovan Mitchell impressive. But for the most part, all of their recent victories were against subpar competition. Just look at the month of March: Hornets, Raptors twice, Nets, Wizards, Hornets again, and the Jazz. And when they faced two more capable teams: the Knicks and Pacers, they were stymied offensively, scoring just 171 combined points, and lost by margin.

Still, the Magic are young and motivated and it's endearing. Everyone loves a good Cinderella story, an underdog tale, a David and Goliath narrative. But reality isn't folklore or allegory. The Pelicans are grown-ass men, a roster constructed to be physically imposing while capable of overwhelming any defense with their array of talented scorers, and they're starting to show that true potential. Avoiding injuries has helped. Regardless, this is a big-time step-up in class for the Orlando Magic, who just don't have as much experience in these "big-feel" games. Two surging programs collide on Thursday night, but we see only one as legit. We're on New Orleans and think you should be, too. 

Farley

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