The Orlando Magic overcame an early 12-point deficit to beat the Indiana Pacers, 94-90, on Wednesday night. Dating back to last season’s playoffs, the Magic have now won 13 straight home games, including six this season.
The Magic were without their star Paolo Banchero, who is sidelined with a torn right oblique. Banchero was averaging 29 points per game this season and had posted a career-high 50 points when the Magic last played the Pacers 16 days ago on Oct. 28.
In Banchero’s place, Franz Wagner stepped up in a huge way, scoring 29 points on 9-of-24 shooting from the field. It was the second consecutive game that Wagner had scored 29 points or more.
Quarter by Quarter Flow
There was no time to breathe to begin the game as the first quarter featured fast-paced offense with Franz Wagner leading the way, scoring 11 points. Wagner even had a nasty chasedown block on Bennedict Mathurin. But it was the Pacers who got out to a 27-18 lead at the end of the first, and that was thanks to their All-Star Tyrese Haliburton. Crazy enough, Haliburton had zero points on just three shots from the field. But it didn’t reflect on the scoreboard as the 24-year-old got his teammates involved with eight first quarter assists, the most in a first quarter this season.
In the second quarter, action slowed down. But that was a good thing for the Magic, who out-scored the Pacers in the quarter 23-18. However, the Pacers still found themselves in front with a 45-41 lead at halftime. Haliburton was still scoreless after 24 minutes of action.
In the third quarter, Haliburton finally got on the board with two three-pointers. Despite totaling zero assists in the second quarter, Haliburton added two assists to total 10 assists through three quarters. The Magic wouldn’t go away, though, as both teams traded leads. The Magic could only get out to a three point lead, though, their biggest lead of the night thus far. No team could really pull away as the Pacers held a 72-68 lead entering the final quarter.
Just three minutes into the fourth quarter, Moritz Wagner hit a corner three to put the Magic up by six points, 78-72. This marked Orlando’s biggest lead of the night as the Kia Center abrupted. The Kia Center remained loud when Jonathan Isaac hit a three on the ensuing possession, extending Orlando’s biggest lead of the night to nine points. The three-point shots continued to fall for the Magic as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hit a three with 4:02 left in the game, extending Orlando’s lead to 88-78.
Fast forwarding, with just 1:51 left in the game, Mathurin drove into the paint and hit a huge shot, drawing the and-one and sealing the three point play. That cut the Magic lead to just four points, 90-86. Wagner went to the stripe on the next possession, knocking down two free throws. After that, Mathurin went back to the stripe where he hit both free throws as the Magic led 92-88.
With just 11 seconds left, Haliburton had a dunk that silenced the crowd at the Kia Center as the Magic’s lead was cut to just two points, 92-90.
With no shot clock, the Pacers were forced to foul the Magic as Jalen Suggs went to the stripe for two shots with 9.8 seconds left. Suggs hit both to make it a two possession game, sealing the game at 94-90.
“I’m so proud of them, so proud of this group,” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said postgame. “It wasn’t a pretty one but it’s the way you have to try and get it done in this league and these guys embraced it. Could have easily given in but we talk about how much grit this team has, and you see how connected we are. And they fought through the shooting lulls at times, the turnovers early and they found a way. And I think that’s part of this league and part of the growth of a group that understands that you just find ways to win. We said it before the game, this team has been, it’s been one and two possessions so every possession matters.”
The Magic shot 40.5% from the field and 34.2% from three-point range while the Pacers shot 38.1% and 33.3%, respectively.
Like coach Mosley, Jonathan Isaac was very pleased with his team’s performance. The 27-year-old had eight points to go along with 11 rebounds and three blocks off the bench.
“Yeah, It’s unreal. [Indiana] is a high scoring team. They put up, you know, I think [134] (points) the other night and on a back-to-back, they’ve been resting for two days. To come out here and send that kind of message, you know, it speaks volumes of our coaching staff, of our team, [and] guys taking on the challenge. Especially [because] we were struggling early too, you know. We didn’t make shots. Franz (Wagner) kept us in the game for the majority of the game but to lock [in] and not let our energy waver, especially [when] they went on a run early too. You know, I almost can’t say enough about the resiliency, the energy, the mindset of these guys, and with that, I feel that we can go as far as we want to.”
Isaac wasn’t the only Magic player to step up defensively, especially late in the game. Goga Bitadze notched a double-double with 12 points (6-of-7 shooting) and 12 rebounds, as well as two blocks.
“I mean, I don’t know anybody that held them to 18 points in two quarters,” Bitadze said after the game. “I mean, they’re one of the best offensive teams or offenses to ever be a part of this league. So, I mean, shout out to these guys. Jalen (Suggs), every single day going out there [and] putting his body out there. Kenny (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope), I mean, everybody. I don’t know. You go down [to] whoever got in there. Even Jett (Howard) coming [in] there and hitting those two three’s. It was huge. That got us going and Moe (Wagner) hitting those three’s. I mean everybody. Whoever went in there, they did their job, and [the] second night of a back-to-back and bodies are hurting but I mean, it’s going to be a long season. We have to get used to it. We have a lot of back-to-backs coming up, I think every week, so we have to be ready for that.”
Other Notes
- It’s very early in the season, but it’s already the third time this season that these two teams have faced off against one another. It’s the second time that the Magic went home with the victory.
- There were 13 lead changes and seven ties.
- Orlando is now 56-73 all-time against Indiana, including 33-31 at home.
- Orlando is now on a four game winning streak.
- Orlando is now 2-1 this season in games decided by five points or less.
- This was the second time this season the Magic were playing on back-to-back nights.
- Last season the Magic overcame double digits to win 11 times. Tonight, the Magic overcame a 12 point deficit.
Next Up
The Magic will host the Philadelphia 76ers in NBA Cup Group Play on Friday night at 7:00 PM. In the first game of NBA Cup Group Play on Tuesday night, the Magic beat the Hornets 114-89 behind Franz Wagner’s 32 points. Orlando is 80-52 all-time against the 76ers.