Magic handle Pelicans as Ingram injures knee

Perhaps they were due for a dud.

The New Orleans Pelicans came up empty and came up well short at Orlando, facing another team fighting for playoff position.

The Magic were better in all phases on their home floor Thursday night, handling New Orleans, 121-106.

It was the ninth loss in 11 trips to Orlando for the Pelicans.

The Pelicans came out strong, taking a 28-17 lead but New Orleans hit the wall and the Magic took over, cutting the deficit to 28-23 at the end of the first quarter. That was the last good play the Pelicans would put forth.

Orlando dominated the second quarter, outscoring the Pelicans 34-20 to take a 57-48 lead. The Pelicans committed 10 turnovers in the half but shot 50 percent from the field.

The difference was from 3-point range as Orlando outscored New Orleans 27-4.

Things got worse for New Orleans early in the third quarter when Brandon Ingram went down with a left knee injury, appearing to hyperextend it with 9:52 to play in the quarter. Pelicans coach Willie Green had no update on the injury afterward, other than to say that Ingram would undergo an MRI.

Orlando opened up a 95-75 lead going to the fourth quarter and the Magic were not threatened the rest of the way. With their fifth straight win, the Magic are now 42-28 and a very impressive 25-9 at home.

Trey Murphy III scored 21 points off a bench which was otherwise totally ineffective. Zion Williamson scored 20 points but committed eight turnovers on a night where he struggled, was frustrated and encountered physicality and length on his many drives to the basket.

The center position was a huge hole as Jonas Valanciunas and Larry Nance Jr. combined for just six points and seven rebounds, all points scored by Valanciunas. New Orleans was minus 24 points with Nance on the floor.

The Pelicans hurt their own cause with 19 turnovers and Orlando outscored New Orleans 42-18 from 3-point range.

Now 42-27, the Pelicans saw their 3-game win streak end. New Orleans faces the second of back-to-back games at Miami Friday night and will certainly be without Ingram.

Several players were ejected and suspended when the Pelicans and Heat met on Feb. 23 in New Orleans when Miami beat the Pelicans 106-95.

Both sides remember it well and should be primed to compete in fierce fashion.

The only good news to come out of the loss was Green being able to take starters out for more than half of the fourth quarter.