The Orlando Magic are riding high after a game-winning basket over the Chicago Bulls. But they get right back to it, playing an energetic and dynamic Indiana Pacers team on the road.
Orlando Magic (5-11) at Indiana Pacers (8-6)
Time/TV: 7 p.m./Bally Sports Florida
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Line: Pacers by 6
Tickets: $14-$676 on StubHub
Season Series: Tonight in Indianapolis; Nov. 21 in Indianapolis; Jan. 25 in Orlando; Feb. 25 in Orlando
| Pace | Off. Rtg. | Def. Rtg. | eFG% | O.Reb.% | TO% | FTR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando | 99.0 | 110.3 | 113.2 | 53.8 | 29.0 | 17.0 | 28.8 |
| Indiana | 102.4 | 113.7 | 112.4 | 54.4 | 31.5 | 16.0 | 27.4 |
OMD Prediction
The NBA schedule is unforgiving. It gives no time to wallow and learn from mistakes or any time to celebrate and live the glory of your victories. There is always another game and another opportunity on the horizon. Teams really have to move on quickly.
The Orlando Magic may not want to move on completely from a huge first road win over the Chicago Bulls thanks to Jalen Suggs’ game-winning 3-pointer. But the measure of a team and its growth is its ability to move on to the next one. That is actually something the team showed in getting the job done in Chicago.
This back-to-back will prove difficult though. The Indiana Pacers have the guard play and attacking profile that has given the Orlando Magic trouble throughout the season. Even coming off a back-to-back themselves, and a 20-point comeback at Houston at that, the Pacers will be a dangerous team to play if the Magic are not locked in again.
There is no time to celebrate.
3 Keys To Watch
Jalen Suggs’ shooting
Let’s talk then about the big thing of the day before we move on from the win over the Chicago Bulls? That should be celebrating Jalen Suggs having the confidence to shoot and take a big shot. There is no doubt that ice water runs through his veins. He has hit plenty of big shots already for the Orlando Magic.
But Suggs’ shooting numbers have taken an overall jump. He shot 36.1 percent from the floor and 21.4 percent from deep last year. His numbers have increased moderately to 43.0 percent from the floor and 30.4 percent from beyond the arc (on a gaudy 5.1 3-point attempts per game).
There is still a long way to go. But he has made some important progress. As many have noted, Suggs has been effective, especially shooting off the dribble. Even taking one dribble seems to put him in a better rhythm.
Suggs is becoming a more reliable and effective offensive weapon. And that is starting to unlock his game a ton.
New Rook at the top?
Orlando Magic fans are slightly annoyed right now. It is not just that Paolo Banchero is missing time with a sprained ankle (he is OUT for the Magic on Saturday and is not with the team on this road trip).
Everyone seems to forget in his absence that Banchero is averaging 23.5 points per game and 8.5 rebounds per game. He will get back to reminding everyone soon.
In his absence, a new rookie has seemingly come for the top of the mountain. NBA.com placed Indiana Pacers’ guard Bennedict Mathhurin atop its Rookie Ladder with Paolo Banchero missing time.
Mathurin has played very well. And consideration is at least earned. He is averaging 19.6 points per game and shooting a very strong 43.9 percent on his 3-pointers all off the bench. Mathurin has been a dynamic and fun player in the early going for the Pacers. He is certainly No. 2.
But, come on.
The Free Throw Battle
The Orlando Magic have established an offensive identity of trying to get to the rim and to the foul line. That is a big part of what the team is trying to accomplish. And when the Magic are struggling offensively it is typically because they are not getting to the paint or to the foul line.
That has been a big factor of late with Paolo Banchero out.
Banchero has almost single-handedly lifted the Magic’s free throw shooting from the very bottom to the top of the league this year. But in the five games Banchero has missed, the Magic’s free throw rate dropped from its season average of 28.8 to 23.7. That is 22nd among all teams’ last five games.
The Indiana Pacers are also a team that gets to the line a ton. And the Magic have a history of fouling too much defensively. The winner of this game might be the one who gets to the line and puts pressure on their opponents more.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.