LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida (AP) – Nikola Vucevic scored 23 shots from the floor and the Orlando Magic hit the playoffs by beating the New Orleans Pelicans 133-127 on Thursday to take five. game skating.
Both groups lost many of their players in a regular-season final that had no involvement in the playoffs.
Orlando secured in eighth overall pick-up at the Eastern Conference and will face the Milwaukee Bucks, the first qualifiers, in a first-round series starting Tuesday. New Orleans is already out of the playoff contest, so its season ended on Thursday.
“It’s smart to end up on a positive note,” Vucevic said. “Now we can focus clearly on Milwaukee.”
The Magic built a 22-point lead in the third quarter and remained to beat an annoying New Orleans team that had unexpected individual performances.
Frank Jackson of New Orleans scored 31 problems and Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 29, two career highs. Josh Hart had 23 problems, 14 rebounds and six assists. Jaxson Hayes scored thirteen numbers.
“I saw this as an opportunity to expand as a rookie and (move) to next season, to try to bring positive power to the off-season of my game,” Alexander-Walker said. “I feel safe, I know what to paint on and the strengths.”
Dj. Augustin scored 22 issues for Orlando. James Ennis III 16, Wes Iwundu 15 and Markelle Fultz 11. Melvin Frazier Jr. and Vic Law each scored 10 points, career highs for both.
Jackson drove back to Orlando’s lead to 129-12four with 2four.4 seconds to play, but Orlando went four out of 6 in single-shot attempts for the rest of the game to seal the win.
“I think it’s a very fluid game,” said Magic coach Steve Clifford. “The speed is very fast. Obviously, our defense will have to be bigger on Tuesday, but we had smart energy.
Orlando scored 43 problems at the time, a franchise record for problems in the fourth of the moment, to build a 77-61 lead at halftime. Orlando equaled their fourth number of problems in the first half overall in team history, 4 of the Magic record of 81 in a 149-113 win over Atlanta on April 5, 2019.
The Magic racked up one’s problems by shooting 76.5% (13 of 18) of the 3-point diversity in the first two terms and tying the franchise record of 3 numbers in half. New Orleans was behind 16 in the middle despite shooting 64.9% (24 out of 38) from the ground in the first half.
“Once again, our defense let us down,” Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said.
Orlando led 93-71 midway through the third quarter before New Orleans returned to the game. The Pelicans led a 10-0 streak that began to win in the third quarter and continued in the final era to reduce Orlando’s lead to 99-88.
New Orleans stayed close for the top of the last quarter, but failed to back down.
Orlando missed Evan Fournier (non-COVID disease), Aaron Gordon (stretched left ham tendon), Terrence Ross (self-isolated) and Michael Carter-Williams (stretched left foot) with Jonathan Isaac, who will play back this year after tearing his left. anterior cruciate ligament of the left knee on August 2. The Magic had only 10 players available.
New Orleans rookie Zion Williamson (right knee injury) was listed in the injury report as missing with Jrue Holiday (bruised right elbow) and Brandon Ingram (right knee pain). Lonzo Ball, Derrick Favors, E’Twaun Moore and JJ Redick didn’t play either.
Tips
Pelicans: Virginia Tech rookie Alexander-Walker began his first career. Jackson made his moment begin the season.
Magic: Clifford was encouraged to be informed that the Magic series with Milwaukee will begin on Tuesday than Monday, as it gives his injury-plagued team more time to recover. “They gave us four guys to come back and that gives us an extra day, which will be smart for them, and an extra day to prepare us,” Clifford said before Thursday’s game. “The most important thing is that those 4 boys can be healthier and can get back on the ground, I hope.
Following
New Orleans comes out of the bubble and begins its off-season.
Orlando opens its first-round series with Milwaukee on Tuesday. The Bucks beat the Magic in their four regular-season games.
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