Paolo Banchero scored 29 points and and Markelle Fultz and Moritz Wagner added 14 points apiece to help the visiting Orlando Magic defeat the slumping New Orleans Pelicans 101-93 Smoothie King Center on Monday night.
DAT'S A WAGIC WIN 🪄 pic.twitter.com/2UF1RbVH01
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) February 28, 2023
Banchero’s performance included three clutch mid-range jumpers in the closing minutes as Magic improved to 11-20 on the road after going 10-31 in away games last season.
New Orleans (30-32) lost its fourth straight.
Brandon Ingram finished with 25 points, six rebounds and five assists for New Orleans, which is clinging to the 10th and final Western Conference play-in spot by percentage points over the Portland Trail Blazers (29-31), with those clubs set to play one another later this week.
CJ McCollum added 18 points for the Pelicans, who’ve struggled ever since star power forward Zion Williamson went out with a right hamstring injury in early January, missing his 25th straight game.
The Magic visit the Milwaukee Bucks in the second of three straight road games while the Pelicans visit the Trail Blazers on Wednesday to open a three-game trip.