December 23rd - New Orleans Pelicans @ Orlando Magic - 11-21

Let?s make some magic ✨

🏀: vs Orlando
🕕: 6pm CST
📺 @BallySportsNO
📻: @ESPNRadioNOLA#Pelicans | @SmoothieKing pic.twitter.com/oCYrSeiBwv

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 23, 2021

Tonight, on our first 3 game winstreak of the season, we take on the 7-25 Orlando Magic, one of only three teams with fewer wins than we currently have. The Magic are 2-8 over their last 10, and 3-15 over their last 18. They are not a good team whatsoever, falling into the bottom 5 in both Defense and Offense so far this year (at 24th in both, we have narrowly moved out of that category of specific awfulness).

This is also our last game before Christmas, given that we do not have a Christmas Day game this year, so it would be nice to pick up a win against a team that's clearly not finding much success this season. We'll see how that goes.

I haven't been particularly active on the forum recently for a number of reasons - mostly just starting the game threads - and so I would like to take a brief moment at the end of this game opening thread to just say Merry Christmas to everyone, happy holidays to those who may not celebrate Christmas (not sure how many of you there are on this board but still, thought that counts) and I hope everyone has a great time over the next few days.

Let's see if we can pull out a win.

I'm hoping to see Jaxson log some minutes tonight, just to see where his head's at. I'm still in disbelief at how bad he looks after how well he seemed to be playing at the end of last season. Really didn't expect to need to have him sit the bench again to get it.

Jaxson really hasn't even looked "bad" in his few minutes this year. NAW has had many more games looking worse. They were going to give Billy some time and he's played well enough to not give his time up yet.

Sometimes that's all it is.

Despite who's out, losing to Orlando would just be inexcusable. That is pretty much a g-league squad now.

**Cole Anthony and Wendall Carter coming back for Orlando tonight. Of course.

What channel? I can't find it on league pass.

Wow no one’s here in the thread since the game started while Pels up 12 at halftime

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SonOfNOLA

Wow no one’s here in the thread since the game started while Pels up 12 at halftime

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Team has been playing pretty well so far. Ingram's got his eye in, everything's falling inside the arc.

Scary 3Q right there. Magic feeling really confident going into the 4th.

4 team fouls on the magic with 7 mins left + Ingram back in. I call that a win for our backups.

I think someone needs a one-way ticket to the G.League. It will be two years late, but hey, better late than never

Hart with 2 huge threes. Someone has to make the Magic play for doubling Ingram everytime he touches it.

The Joshua Trey

Don't commit dumb turnovers and were golden.

Also,

How is Jaxson Hayes so bad? He looks huge out there, yet is totally ineffective on both ends. It's baffling.

4 straight

and

5 out of the last 6

4 in a row, on to OKC.

The limitations of Billy on full display. He might have a negative vertical. Got 16 rebounds to make up for the 1 - 11 so good I guess.

Too bad none of the guards know how to take advantage of Jaxson rolls.

Good win while depleted. BI played well again so this thread might not cross 15 posts.

Funny how people only seem to come on here to complain after loses.

Billy really gotta stop his dunks from getting blocked

Quote:

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Originally Posted by P_B_&_G

Funny how people only seem to come on here to complain after loses.

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With the 13 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. The New Orleans Pelicans select? Do we still get that Lakers pick ? Are we going to play the Lakers for that play in game?

Nice win , 4th in a row !! :victory2: Merry Christmas to everyone !