Orlando Magic Grades: Orlando Magic 89, New Orleans Pelicans 82

It was ugly and probably a bit disappointing, but the Orlando Magic found a way to gut out a win over the undermanned New Orleans Pelicans.

Nikola Vucevic has struggled to shoot throughout the season. It is a recurring storyline that the Orlando Magic’s best returning scorer just has not been able to find his touch as shots have redistributed elsewhere and the team has struggled to keep him involved.

And this has become even more poignant as the Magic’s offense continues to struggle.

When the offense is struggling though, the team has to go to its most reliable well. Or the ball has to find its way there.

Vucevic, who shot 5 for 12 in the game, got the ball when it mattered most. He collected an offensive rebound and scored a put back to get the Magic up four points with less than two minutes to go. And then scored on the ensuing possession to ice an 89-82 victory voer the New Orleans Pelicans at Amway Center on Wednesday.

The score was ugly. The game itself was ugly. The Pelicans played without uber-star Anthony Davis. But the Magic won.

“A win is a win in the NBA,” Serge Ibaka said. “But we have to clean up a lot of things on defense and offense. A win is a win. We’re going to take that win, watch tape tomorrow and get better the next day.”

Orlando’s offense struggled for much of the game but burst for 31 points in the second quarter to hlep the Magic take a 15-point lead. Orlando’s defense was stifling a New Orleans team that did not have a first offensive option and was really missing its star in Davis.

The inevitable drought for the Magic came in the third quarter. They made just 5 of 26 shots in the quarter including 3 for 15 in the paint. That made it a game the rest of the way.

The Pelicans took the lead on one occasion and the Magic fought back and retook it but never quite pulled away. New Orleans stayed in the fight throughout despite their poor shooting and general lack of cohesion. They strung enough shots together to make the Magic sweat.

But Orlando gutted it out in the end.

“It’s good that we got a win,” Nikola Vucevic said. “Obviously we didn’t play the way we needed to. We have a lot of work to do to improve. We did win, which is good, but there is a lot of work to do.”