The pressure continues to ramp up as the Orlando Magic play their final six games. They get a road test against the Indiana Pacers, involved in their own positioning battle.
Orlando Magic (37-39) vs. Indiana Pacers (45-31)
Time/TV: 7 p.m./FOX Sports Florida
WATCH MAGIC-PACERS ON FUBO TV
Line: Pacers by 2.5
Tickets: $9-$475 on Vivid Seats
2019 Season Series: Pacers 112, Magic 90 in Orlando on Dec. 7; Magic 107, Pacers 100 in Orlando on Jan. 31; Magic 117, Pacers 112 in Indianapolis on March 2; Tonight in Indianapolis
| Pace | Off. Rtg. | Def. Rtg. | eFG% | O.Reb.% | TO% | FTR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando | 98.6 | 107.1 | 107.2 | 51.3 | 25.6 | 13.4 | 21.6 |
| Indiana | 98.7 | 109.1 | 105.4 | 52.9 | 27.0 | 13.9 | 24.3 |
1) Winning has reactivated the Orlando Magic’s fan base and has brought an excitement to Magic discussions again.
2) Evan Fournier has emerged as an X-factor for the Orlando Magic as he has climbed out of his shooting slump, Josh Robbins of The Athletic writes.
3) The Orlando Magic have to punch first and be strong from the start if they want to make their playoff push. They know they must play with the same intensity and focus from the start, John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com writes.
4) Michael Carter-Williams deserves credit for helping the Orlando Magic renew their energy in this playoff stretch.
5) The Orlando Magic face a tough test in their playoff chase as they face the Indiana Pacers on the road, Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel writes. The Pacers have not lost at home since the Magic beat them in early March.
6) Kyrie Irving’s game-winning layup dropped the Indiana Pacers out of the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference but they still feel they are in the fight, J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star writes.
7) The Orlando Magic look to learn and move on from their loss to the Detroit Pistons, Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel writes.
8) Even if the Orlando Magic miss the playoffs, this season has been a blast, Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel writes.
9) Protecting the middle has been the biggest key to the Orlando Magic’s defensive surge, and also still the source of its greatest weakness. It is this significantly improved defense that has the Magic in the playoff chase, John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com writes.
10) Zach Lowe of ESPN calls for the abolition of the division winner tiebreaker that might end up benefiting the Orlando Magic and reveals his love for Nikola Vucevic’s passing.
11) Myles Turner’s defense has been stellar all year and now his rebounding is starting to creep up, Ben Gibson of 8 Points, 9 Seconds writes.
12) Even with Thursday’s loss, the Orlando Magic should be thinking big and looking to move up as far as they can in the playoff pecking order, Spencer Henderson writes.
13) The tiebreaker for home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference playoffs between the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers will come down to the wire, Tony East of 8 Points, 9 Seconds writes.
14) The Indiana Pacers have struggled on offense on the road since Victor Oladipo’s injury as their identity had to change overnight, J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star writes.
15) Regardless of how the season ends, the Orlando Magic already have the largest win improvement in the NBA, John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com writes.
16) The Lakeland Magic reached the Eastern Conference Finals after a win over the Westchester Knicks on Friday.