Magic at Pacers
The Indiana Pacers have slipped into eight place in the Eastern Conference, two games ahead of the ninth-place Chicago Bulls. The Pacers will try to improve their standing when they host the suddenly surging Orlando Magic on Thursday.
Indiana managed just 12 fourth-quarter points in Tuesday’s 98-96 loss and missed a defensive assignment on the final play when Chicago’s Jimmy Butler hit the go-ahead jumper. “Too many lost possessions on the offensive end,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel explained to reporters of the fourth quarter. “Seven turnovers. We settled for perimeter shots. Zero free throws and we missed some open looks.” The Magic played their way out of the playoff chase a long time ago but did the Pacers a favor with a 111-89 win over the Bulls on Saturday before blowing the Brooklyn Nets away 139-105 on Tuesday. “We’re just trying to stay present,” Orlando forward Aaron Gordon told reporters. “This definitely would have meant more if we were chasing a playoff spot, but we’re still improving. We’re still learning and we’re still becoming more familiar with each other.”
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Orlando), FSN Indiana
ABOUT THE MAGIC (31-43): Orlando handed out 32 assists in the win over the Bulls and bumped that number up to 40 while shooting 61.5 percent from the field on Tuesday. “It’s just a great feeling to be out there getting everybody involved and see everybody playing well,” Magic guard Victor Oladipo told reporters. “Everybody on this team works so hard, so it’s fulfilling to see everybody enjoy a night like this.” Reserve forward Andre Nicholson was the best of the bunch against the Nets and went 9-of-9 from the field, including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc, en route to 24 points.
ABOUT THE PACERS (39-35): Indiana has dropped two of three to fall into eighth but is getting strong play from center Ian Mahinmi in that span. The 29-year-old Frenchman is 23-of-31 from the field in those three games while averaging 18.3 points and 7.7 rebounds. “I felt good," Mahinmi told the team’s official website after going 9-of-12 from the floor on Tuesday. "I feel like my teammates find me every time I'm open. ... I'm in a good rhythm right now."
BUZZER BEATERS
1.Pacers PG Ty Lawson scored eight points on Tuesday – his highest total in six games since joining the team.
2. Orlando C Nikola Vucevic (groin) has missed the last 13 games but returned to practice and is close to playing in games.
3. Indiana has taken seven straight in the series by an average of 13.4 points.