Magic at Pacers
Indiana has a great opportunity to continue its climb up the Eastern Conference ladder when it hosts Orlando on Tuesday in the opener of a four-game homestand. The Pacers have won five in a row and 11 of their last 13 after a 92-86 triumph at New York on Saturday, matching their longest winning streak since a seven-gamer in November 2013. As it looks more and more like the squad that claimed the No. 1 seed in the East last season, Indiana is relishing the task of tracking down a playoff spot.
"I like that every win or every loss can move you two, three spots in the standings," head coach Frank Vogel said. "That brings a good, healthy urgency to every game." The Pacers are tied with Charlotte for the final two playoff spots in the East and have little breathing room with Miami a half-game behind. The Magic sit eight games out of an unlikely playoff spot but have won two in a row after a 103-98 win over Boston on Sunday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Orlando), FSN Indiana
ABOUT THE MAGIC (21-43): Orlando has scored at least 100 points in regulation in three straight games for the first time since the end of the 2012-13 season, and it has coincided with Victor Oladipo's ability to take his game to another level. The second-year pro is averaging 28.3 points on 54.4 percent shooting, 5.8 assists and 2.8 steals in this month, making 9-of-15 3-pointers and 18-of-20 free throws along the way. The hot stretch has allowed the Magic to survive a handful of recent injuries, as center Nikola Vucevic (ankle) and shooting guard Evan Fournier (hip) are day-to-day.
ABOUT THE PACERS (28-34): While Orlando is surging offensively, Indiana is clamping down on the defensive end, just as it did in a 56-win campaign last season. The Pacers have allowed an average of 82.4 points during the five-game run and have controlled the perimeter; opponents are shooting 26.2 percent from 3-point range in that span. Veteran forward David West, who has back-to-back double-doubles, is averaging 19 points in the two meetings with the Magic this season, both of them wins.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pacers C Roy Hibbert has a total of nine points in 55 minutes over his last two games while making 2-of-13 shots.
2. Magic C Dewayne Dedmon is averaging 12 rebounds in 25.5 minutes in two starts at center.
3. The last time Orlando scored at least 100 points in regulation four straight times was in January 2012.