Magic 95, Pelicans 84
Victor Oladipo recorded a game-high 22 points as Orlando pulled away in the fourth quarter to hand visiting New Orleans its fourth consecutive defeat.
Nikola Vucevic contributed 18 points and 13 rebounds while Evan Fournier scored 16 for the Magic, who started the final period with a 16-4 run. Rookie point guard Elfrid Payton chipped in with 10 points to go along with 11 assists and Willie Green scored an important nine off the bench for Orlando.
Tyreke Evans led the way with 14 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds while All Star Anthony Davis registered 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Pelicans. Quincy Pondexter and Ryan Anderson also scored 13 off the bench and Eric Gordon added 11 for New Orleans, which was held to 13 points in the final quarter.
Green scored seven, including a 3-pointer, and Dewayne Dedmon had a dunk as the Magic ran off nine straight to snap a tie and build an 82-73 lead with 9:18 to go. Oladipo’s dunk capped another burst for an 89-75 lead with 5:18 left and the Pelicans could not get closer than nine the rest of the way.
The Pelicans led by as many as nine after a Davis dunk midway through the second quarter, but Fournier scored six after that as the Magic pulled within 47-43 at intermission. Oladipo scored 12 in the third quarter, including four during a 10-0 run that gave Orlando a seven-point lead before settling for a 73-71 lead going to the fourth.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Magic outscored New Orleans 64-36 in the paint and had 15 fast-break points to eight for the Pelicans. … Orlando’s second-leading scorer F Tobias Harris (knee) missed his third straight game. … New Orleans G Norris Cole, acquired from the Miami Heat on Thursday, was not available for the game but he could join the team in Miami for Saturday’s contest.