Orlando Magic Grades: Indiana Pacers 97, Orlando Magic 84
The Orlando Magic were sluggish and imprecise in the fourth quarter as the Indiana Pacers pulled away for a 97-84 win on Monday.
100. 84. 38. Final. 97
The Orlando Magic were ready to gut out another game, setting themselves up for another close finish it seemed. It would come down to execution on both ends.
It certainly did.
After taking an 81-78 lead in the fourth quarter, the Pacers went on a run. Or it was a brisk jog. The Magic could not get the ball moving and could not get the ball into the basket. The Pacers finished the game — the final seven and a half minutes — on a 19-3 scoring binge for a 97-84 win at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Monday.
The Magic certainly could feel the frustration as they committed eight of their 22 turnovers in the fourth quarter. The poor execution was too much to overcome.
The defense put in a solid effort for the most part against the Pacers, but one too many breakdowns under the pressure of the offensive struggles kept the Magic from getting that breakthrough and stealing the win.
Orlando Magic. VICTOR OLADIPO. C. <p>An A for effort for <strong><a href=. SG
C-. <p><strong><a href=. F. Orlando Magic. TOBIAS HARRIS
B. <p>Evan Fournier was about the only player who did a really good job for much of the game — save his first quarter defense on Paul George.</p><p>Fournier continued his torrid offensive pace, scoring 21 points on 7-for-13 shooting. He was better at making shots than anyone else and was more efficient taking the ball through the paint.</p><p>The only thing he really did wrong all night was get caught a step slow defending Paul George in the first quarter. George had 19 points in the first quarter, much of them on Fournier as he tried chasing George around.</p>. G/F. Orlando Magic. EVAN FOURNIER
B-. <p>With both <strong><a href=. F/C. Orlando Magic. CHANNING FRYE
C+. <p>As bad as the Orlando Magic played, the Indiana Pacers did not fare much better. They were as sloppy and sluggish as the Magic for much of the evening. Orlando dictated the terms defensively after Paul George’s scoring binge ended in the first quarter.</p><p>The Pacers eventually broke through though even without George carrying much of the scoring load. He dished out seven assists in the game. That was probably more impactful than his scoring in the end. Indiana made 11 of 25 3-pointers and got things moving at the right moment, even if it took a little while to fully put Orlando away.</p><p>Defensively, the Pacers were very good at defending the rim and contesting shots without fouling. Not an easy thing to do for sure with the Pacers’ front line. They also were able to deflect passes and disrupt the Magic’s cutting offense, reducing them into one-on-one play.</p>. 4-4. 8th East. INDIANA PACERS