Pelicans Fall To Magic In Preseason Opener

New Orleans drops it's opening preseason game to the Orlando Magic at home.

New Orleans, LA - The New Orleans Pelicans opened preseason play with a 122-105 loss to the Orlando Magic Tuesday night in the Smoothie King Center. Fans eager to watch Zion Williamson on the court for the first time since January were treated to a delight in the first half. Coach Willie Green planned not to play any starters for more than 20 minutes, and he held true to that word.

The first quarter saw an offensive explosion for New Orleans. They scored 38 in the frame points, and the offense showed the potential most thought it could with the addition of assistant coach James Borrego. Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram each scored 7 points in the quarter, and the Pelicans shot over 56% from the field. New Orleans led 38-26 at the end of the first quarter.

An area of concern for the team last season was three-point attempts. The team finished second-to-last in the NBA, averaging 30 attempts a season ago. In this new look offense, the Pelicans will emphasize creating open looks from beyond the arc. In the first half, you saw glimpses of what this team wants to look like on offense.

The Pelicans attempted 19 three-point shots in the first 24 minutes of play. Every New Orleans player, except for Zion Williamson, who played more than 10 minutes in the half attempted a three-point shot. Turnovers allowed the Magic to get back into the game. The Pelicans committed nine turnovers in the half, and the Magic turned those into 13 points.

Oct 10, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) dunks Orlando Magic center Moritz Wagner (21) during the first quarter at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans held a 68-67 lead at the half after being up as much as 16 points. This marked the end of the night for the starters, who did not play at all in the second half. Brandon Ingram led the team in scoring with 14 points on 6/12 shooting. Zion Williamson ended his night scoring 12 points, grabbing five rebounds, and dishing five assists. 

The backup unit could not hold the lead in the second half, and the offense did not find its groove. New Orleans failed to score over 20 points in the third and fourth quarters. Pelicans sharpshooting rookie Jordan Hawkins shot 4/14 and scored nine points. The team went cold from three in the second half, shooting just 1/15 in the last two quarters.

Orlando played some of their starters in the second half and built a lead they would not relinquish. Wendell Carter Jr led all scorers with 18 points for the Magic. The reigning Rookie of the Year, Paolo Banchero, scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds in 20 minutes of play.

New Orleans didn't get the victory but left the game healthy. Health is important moving forward as the injury bug bit the team this offseason. Larry Nance Jr., Jose Alvarado, and Trey Murphy III all remain out nursing different injuries. The team plays 3 games in 5 nights and will travel to Birmingham to take on the Houston Rockets on Thursday.