Magic 103, Pelicans 94
NEW ORLEANS -- Forward Evan Fournier scored 30 points, including consecutive 3-pointers inside the final 73 seconds, and center Nikola Vucevic added 22 to power the Orlando Magic to a 103-94 victory over the winless New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night at the Smoothie King Center.
In notching their first win after an 0-3 start, the Magic held Pelicans forward Anthony Davis to 14 points on 3-of-12 shooting, and all three baskets came on dunks.
Guard Eric Gordon led the Pelicans with 21 points.
The Magic led 87-74 when Fournier hit a driving layup and foul shot with 9:03 left, but the Pelicans used a 11-4 run to shave the deficit to 91-85. Fournier then hit a pair of long-range jumpers down the stretch to help the Orlando pull away.
The Pelicans (0-4) used four 3-pointers -- two by Gordon -- in the first seven minutes of the third quarter to close within 65-59, but the Magic responded with eight straight on two 3-pointers by Fournier and a jump hook in the lane by Vucevic to expand the margin to 73-59.
Gordon and forward Ryan Anderson then hit back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the Orlando lead to 73-65. The Pelicans hit six of 12 from long range in the quarter to stay close.
Despite committing 12 first-half turnovers, the Magic led by as many as 18 points, 45-27, with 5:39 left in the second quarter. Fournier (15) and Vucevic (14) combined for 29 of the Magic's 57 first-half points.
The Pelicans were an abysmal 2-for-14 from long range before guard Ish Smith nailed a 3-pointer from the right wing at the buzzer to cut the halftime deficit to 57-43.
Davis continued to struggle in the Pelicans' run-oriented offense. He missed five of six shots from the field but made six free throws to finish with eight first-half points. Gordon led the Pelicans with 10 points in the first half, but he was just 1-for-6 from long range. He finished 4-for-12 from beyond the arc.
The Magic closed the first quarter on a 19-7 run and then put together a 13-2 surge in the second quarter to post their biggest lead.
NOTES: Already depleted, the Pelicans played without starting C Omer Asik (right calf strain). "It's going to be a day-to-day thing," said New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry. "Hopefully, we'll get him back for the next game (Friday against Atlanta). It's close, but I don't know if it's worth taking the chance right now." ... The Pelicans are down four other players: G Tyreke Evans (knee), F Quincy Pondexter (knee), G Norris Cole (ankle) and C Kendrick Perkins (pectoral). ... Magic coach Scott Skiles said it is too early to tell if his emphasis on shooting more 3-pointers will reap dividends. The Magic's shooting percentage from long range during their 0-3 start was only 29.3 percent, down from 34.7 percent last season. At New Orleans, Orlando hit seven of 18 3-point attempts (38.9 percent).