Magic at Pacers
The Indiana Pacers nearly ousted the Miami Heat in a stellar seven-game Eastern Conference finals last season and the goal is to dethrone the two-time NBA champions this time around. The task begins Tuesday when the Pacers open against the visiting Orlando Magic, a squad that struggled to a league-worst 20-62 record last season after dealing Dwight Howard. The Pacers open the campaign a man down after it was revealed Monday that swingman Danny Granger (calf) will miss at least three weeks.
Orlando is hoping to display improvement and is counting on rookie guard Victor Oladipo – the second pick of the 2013 draft – to excel immediately. The Pacers are on the other side of the equation with their fan base expecting a deep run that includes reaching the NBA Finals. “People are talking about us winning it all,” center Roy Hibbert said. “But people need to understand we can’t just fast-forward to the Eastern Conference finals. You have to win your division and beat teams you’re supposed to beat.”
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Orlando), FSN Indiana
ABOUT THE MAGIC (2012-13: 20-62): The 21-year-old Oladipo joins a young squad that includes several other key players who are 23 years of age or younger in center Nikola Vucevic (46 double-doubles last season) and forwards Maurice Harkless, Tobias Harris and Andrew Nicholson. “I think it’s pretty cool and fun to (build a team) this way, and I’m just glad to be a part of it,” Oladipo said recently. Power forward Glen Davis remains sidelined indefinitely with the foot injury that ended his 2012-13 season prematurely and Harris (ankle) is questionable for the opener.
ABOUT THE PACERS (2012-13: 49-32): Granger missed all but five games last season due to a knee injury but he insisted Monday that his latest setback isn’t a long-term issue. “It’s not terrible,” Granger said. “I can run up and down the court, but when I start jumping it feels like a knot in my calf where I hurt it.” When he returns, the former All-Star will have to fit in as a secondary scorer to forward Paul George (17.4), who excelled as the lead option last season and was recently signed to a five-year contract extension worth upwards of $80 million.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Orlando has won nine of the last 12 regular-season meetings despite Indiana taking two of three last season.
2. The Magic went 8-33 on the road last season. The Pacers were 30-11 at home.
3. Indiana’s bench averaged just 24.1 points last season, second-worst in the NBA ahead of only Portland.