Magic Come in Clutch for Big Road Win vs. Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans hoped to grab a win Monday night, but the Orlando Magic had other ideas.

Jeremy Brener | Feb 27, 2023

Magic Come in Clutch for Big Road Win vs. Pelicans /

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Orlando Magic

ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic is letting the good times roll tonight after a tight 101-93 win in the Big Easy against the New Orleans Pelicans.

With the game tied at 91 with four minutes to go, the Magic had a chance to put past the demons of tight games and piece together a beautiful win down the stretch.

No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero, who finished the game with a game-high 29 points, hit three crucial shots in the final four minutes to ice the contest for the Magic, while stout defensive efforts on the other end helped seal the deal.

For the Magic, a team on the outside of the playoff picture, wins like this are absolutely paramount at this time of year.

"You can feel the intensity being turned up since the break," Banchero said in the TV interview after the game.

Banchero was one of five Magic players to score in double figures. Wendell Carter Jr. scored 11 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for another double-double, while Moe Wagner dropped 14 off the bench.

Meanwhile, Brandon Ingram led all Pelicans with 25 points, but it wasn't enough to get the job done.

The Magic grabs the season series sweep with the win and hopes to build momentum going into March.

The Magic's road trip continues Wednesday when the team faces the Milwaukee Bucks. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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Published Feb 27, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.