Magic Aim to Keep Pelicans Reeling in Final Home Games

Orlando looks to build on strong offensive effort against Dallas as New Orleans tries to end 7-game skid.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 2:35am

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The Orlando Magic will look to continue their dominance over the New Orleans Pelicans when the teams meet on Sunday. The Magic are coming off a strong offensive performance in a win over the Dallas Mavericks, while the Pelicans have lost seven straight games. Orlando has won the last eight meetings between the teams, including five by double digits. New Orleans is hoping to end its skid and pick up a couple of wins in its final two home games of the season.

Why it matters

The Magic are safely in the NBA play-in tournament and still have a slim chance at a top-six seed and automatic playoff berth. Meanwhile, the Pelicans are long out of postseason contention but want to finish the season strong at home. This game could provide momentum for Orlando heading into the playoffs, while New Orleans is looking to build some positive vibes before the offseason.

The details

In their win over Dallas, the Magic shot 56% from the field and 53.8% from 3-point range, dishing out 35 assists. Center Wendell Carter Jr. had a season-high 28 points, while Desmond Bane added 27. Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley praised his team's communication, unselfishness and pace of play. For the Pelicans, they squandered a 17-point second-quarter lead in their loss to the Sacramento Kings, with interim coach James Borrego criticizing his team's defense.

  • The Magic and Pelicans will meet on Sunday, April 6, 2026.
  • Orlando has won the last 8 meetings between the teams, including 5 by double figures.
  • The Pelicans' last victory over the Magic was on December 23, 2021.

The players

Wendell Carter Jr.

The Magic's starting center, who scored a season-high 28 points in the win over Dallas.

Desmond Bane

The Magic's starting shooting guard, who scored 27 points in the win over Dallas.

Jamahl Mosley

The head coach of the Orlando Magic, who praised his team's offensive execution and unselfishness in the win over Dallas.

James Borrego

The interim head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans, who was critical of his team's defensive effort in the loss to Sacramento.

Jeremiah Fears

A Pelicans player who scored 28 points off the bench in the loss to Sacramento.

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What they’re saying

“That's the beauty of this team. I think from top to bottom, we've got guys who can go get it any night. When we play free, we play open, we play as one unit, I think we're one of the most dangerous teams in the league.”

— Wendell Carter Jr., Magic Center

“They did a great job of communicating with each other. Their talk, their ability to share the basketball -- you talk about 35 assists -- moving it, sharing it, trusting the pass, playing with the right style of pace of basketball and really just trusting each other. That was great to see.”

— Jamahl Mosley, Magic Head Coach

“Bottom line, we gave up three 30-point quarters defensively. I thought that was the game. ... Bottom line, we just didn't guard. Second quarter, third quarter, fourth quarter, 34, 30, 32, that's just not going to be good enough.”

— James Borrego, Pelicans Interim Head Coach

What’s next

The Magic will look to continue their dominance over the Pelicans and build momentum heading into the playoffs, while New Orleans hopes to end its 7-game skid and pick up a couple of wins in its final two home games of the season.

The takeaway

This game showcases the contrasting fortunes of the two teams, with the Magic firmly in the playoff picture and the Pelicans playing out the string. Orlando's strong offensive performance against Dallas highlights their potential, while New Orleans' defensive struggles underscore the work they have to do in the offseason. The outcome of this matchup could provide valuable insight into the direction of both franchises as they look towards the future.