The Orlando Magic and Indiana Pacers will sq. off for the second time in 10 days once they meet on Wednesday in Indianapolis.
The Magic took the primary matchup 119-115 on Oct. 28 in Orlando behind a historic efficiency from ahead Paolo Banchero.
His 50 factors marked the primary time a Magic scorer reached the half-century mark since Tracy McGrady in March 2004, and he fell only one help shy of turning into solely the seventh participant in NBA historical past with a triple-double in a 50-plus-point sport.
Orlando has hit arduous instances because the win over Indiana, nonetheless, shedding Banchero to a torn proper indirect that may sideline him for a number of weeks. Monday was the Magic’s third sport with out Banchero and their fourth consecutive loss, a 102-86 setback at undefeated Oklahoma Metropolis.
Franz Wagner led Orlando with 22 factors and Jalen Suggs scored 19 factors, grabbed six rebounds and dished six assists. Goga Bitadze returned from a five-game absence as a consequence of a foot harm to report his greatest sport of the season with 11 factors and 9 rebounds.
Wagner, Suggs and Bitadze have been the one three Magic scorers in double figures, nonetheless, and Orlando failed to achieve 90 factors for a second consecutive sport. The Magic managed solely 85 factors the earlier night time in a 23-point loss at Dallas.
Orlando has failed to attain 100 factors in three of its 4 losses in the course of the present skid.
“You can’t management if that ball goes within the basket, however you have to be sure to proceed to get the precise appears and shoot with confidence,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley mentioned. “We discuss attacking the basket (and producing free throws). We’re doing the precise factor there.”
And certainly, whereas Orlando’s 42.2 % field-goal proportion ranks No. 27 within the NBA getting into Tuesday, the Magic are sixth in free-throw makes an attempt per sport at 26.4. In opposition to the Pacers final week, Orlando obtained to the foul line for 38 makes an attempt — although Banchero was liable for 22.
Indiana’s prior loss to the Magic, in the meantime, capped a three-game slide for the Pacers. They’ve since gained two of three after Monday’s 134-127 win at Dallas.
The 134 factors marked Indiana’s most scored in regulation this season. Myles Turner led the way in which with 30 factors and 11 rebounds, whereas Tyrese Haliburton went for 25 factors and 12 assists.
Haliburton, who led the NBA with 10.9 assists per sport final season, tallied simply 11 throughout his first three video games this 12 months. He has since returned to type, doling out at the very least 10 assists in every of his final 4 video games.
All 5 Indiana starters scored in double figures at Dallas, together with Pascal Siakam with 23 factors and Bennedict Mathurin with 16. Mathurin has put up a mixed 65 factors within the Pacers’ final three video games, together with 30 in a 135-132, extra time win over reigning champion Boston final Wednesday.
With the wins over the Celtics and Mavericks, Indiana heads into Wednesday’s contest boasting victories over each of final season’s NBA Finals contributors.
“Our crew is gaining expertise,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle mentioned. “We had plenty of shut highway video games final 12 months that we have been in a position to win. So our guys are understanding what these sorts of conditions are about.”
