Magic rally from 15 points down in the 2nd half and beat Pelicans 112-108

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Desmond Bane scored 27 points and the Orlando Magic overcame a 15-point deficit in the second half in a 112-108 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night.

The Magic extended their winning streak against the Pelicans to nine games, and Orlando won in New Orleans for the ninth straight time. The Magic’s last loss to the Pelicans was on Dec. 23, 2021, in Orlando, and they last lost in New Orleans on Jan. 18, 2017.

Trailing 94-84 early in the fourth quarter, Orlando used a 14-2 run to take its first lead since the second quarter. Bane’s 3-pointer put the Magic up 101-99, and they held off the Pelicans down the stretch, clinching the win on Bane’s free throw with 9.5 seconds left.

Paolo Banchero added 23 points for Orlando, which won despite shooting 7 for 33 (21%) from distance.

Saddiq Bey scored 32 points for the Pelicans, who lost their seventh straight after hitting one field goal in the final 4:50. Yves Missi had a season-high 18 points with 13 rebounds. Zion Williamson scored 17 points, but only one in the fourth quarter.

The Magic trailed 60-52 at halftime after missing 18 of 20 3-point attempts. Jalen Suggs went 0 for 5 from distance and 1 of 12 overall. Suggs struggled at the start of the second half, falling to the floor while backing up trying to stay in front of rookie Jeremiah Fears, who sank a 3 and gave the Pelicans a double-digit lead.

Suggs then missed three shots in quick succession as Orlando fell behind by 15. He hit back-to-back 3s and the Magic closed within 88-81 after three periods.

Orlando, which is in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, pulled within one game of sixth-place Philadelphia in its attempt to avoid the play-in tournament.