Game 2 Reactions

Brian Serra of Magic Basketball Online points out what changed in the second half for the Magic:

"The keys in the first half for the Magic were the areas that the team fell apart with in the second half. Specifically the aggressive play and rebounding by Big Baby and Ryan Anderson. Baby had 14 points and 8 rebounds at the half, while Ryan had 8 and 8. Baby finished with just 4 more points and 2 more rebounds and Ryan had just 3 more points and not a single 2nd half rebound before fouling out of the game with 4 minutes remaining."

Mike of Orlando Pinstriped Post explains how the Pacers won the game:

"There were several reasons why the Pacers were able to win this game to even the series. Indiana really hurt the Magic in second-chance points and fast-break points, especially in the second half. The Pacers had 8 offensive rebounds in their big third quarter to just one offensive rebound for the Magic. Indy also took advantage of 16 Magic turnovers in the game and scored 17 points off those turnovers. Indiana was brilliant at the free throw line, making 25 of 28 (89.3%). The starting backcourt for the Pacers, George Hill and Paul George, made up for a horrible Game 1 by combining for 35 points on 13 of 20 shooting. Even though the Pacers starting frontcourt of Granger, West, and Roy Hibbert shot just 14 of 40 combined from the floor, they were too much for the Magic to handle on the boards, as they outrebounded the Magic starting frontcourt 31-19 and blocked 5 shots."

Philip Rossman-Reich of Orlando Magic Daily took in a second viewing of the game:

"Jameer Nelson is still struggling to figure out when he is supposed to score and when he is supposed to distribute. He has become a better distributor in the last month or so, but the Magic need him to take a little bit more control offensively and force some action. Orlando is not getting the dribble penetration it wants from Hedo Turkoglu, and so that puts a lot of emphasis on Nelson."

According to John Denton of OrladnoMagic.com, Head Coach Stan Van Gundy was upset with the offense:

"“We’re going to have to be better offensively and I’m going to have to find something because we’ve been under 40 percent two straight games because it’s been a real struggle,’’ Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. “But we can’t give up 22 fastbreak points, give up 25 second-chance points and have 16 turnovers. We’re not going to have a chance to win if we do that. And we’re going to have to make some shots. … They beat us with their energy and effort and that’s just not acceptable.’’The Magic shot just 35.5 percent and turned the ball over 16 times to jumpstart the struggling offense of the Pacers and ignite the noisy Indiana crowd. The fatal blow for the Magic was a stretch in the third quarter when the Pacers scored 14 straight points as the Magic missed six consecutive shots. Orlando’s drought lasted 4 minutes, 21 seconds."

Glen Davis explained what happened in the third quarter to the Orlando Sentinel’s Josh Robbins:

"“In the third quarter, they just kicked our butt,” Magic center Glen Davis said. “They got every loose ball.”Orlando made just 35.5 percent of its shots and gave up 22 fastbreak points while scoring only two fastbreak points of its own.“They beat us with their effort and their energy tonight, and that’s not acceptable,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said."

Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star discusses the third quarter:

"The Pacers came out of the locker room at halftime wearing their hard hats ready to go to work.And that’s exactly what they did.The Pacers used their blue-collar mentality to score 30 points and blow the game open in the third quarter. They also had 16 rebounds, which was just four shy of their total in the first half, in the quarter."

Jared Wade of Eight Points, Nine Seconds handed out game grades:

"David WestThe double-double, the dimes and the defensive stats. Sure. But the 42 minutes. MAAAAaaaan. The 42 minutes. Pushing people around early and often and the guy who exerted the physicality tsunami on Orlando in the 3rd. Said George Hill: “We are riding the coattails of David West right now.”"

Nathan S. of Indy Cornrows breaks down the game:

"George Hill not only had kind words for David West, but also had a big game himself, surviving more of Jameer Nelson’s attacks, but getting 12 of his 18 in the third quarter to help the blue and gold build their lead. He hit one of the team’s two three pointers, it coming off a missed West free throw that Granger rebounded, sending it out to Hill, who gave the Pacers a big four-point play."

(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger, ESPN Florida’s Magic Insider (http://ESPNFlorida.com) and is the co-host of the ESPNFlorida.com Insiders Show Sunday mornings at 10:00 am EST. Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Facebook and follow him onTwitter to follow him daily. You can download the HTD app here)