Who: New Orleans Pelicans vs. Orlando Magic
When: Thursday, Aug. 13, 9:00 p.m ET
How to watch: Fox Sports New Orleans, TNT
Odds: Pelicans +4, o/u 226.5
The New Orleans Pelicans season will come to a far less exciting conclusion than many expected on Thursday night. A Pelicans season that, at one point, seemed destined to include an exciting postseason will now end with a sputter inside the bubble.
With the team eliminated from the playoffs and tanking not an option, the Pelicans are stuck in a situation that results in them sitting their best players stumbling their way to the finale.
The Magic’s situation is only marginally better. While Orlando is guaranteed the No. 8 seed in the playoffs, that will pit them against the league-best Bucks in round one. On top of that, Orlando is without Aaron Gordon, Evan Fournier, Terrence Ross and Michael Carter-Williams on Thursday.
The result is a completely meaningless match-up largely between seldom-used players on both rosters. The one intriguing match-up could be between Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball, the top two picks in the 2017 NBA Draft. Neither has had the career most expected them to have but each has found success this season in different ways.
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