Meet the Opponent: Pacers' Offense Looks to Rediscover High-Octane Groove vs. Magic

The Orlando Magic look to get back on track when they host the Indiana Pacers on Monday night inside the Kia Center. The Pacers are off to a rocky start after an Eastern Conference Finals appearance last season.

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) reacts to a call during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Magic followed up two wins of double-digits with a loss of the same variety on Saturday night, straying from their identity. Monday night back home in Orlando, the visiting Indiana Pacers look to simultaneously improve to 2-2 while dropping the Magic to the same mark.

Orlando had Sunday off after a stretch of three games in four days to begin the season, and the Magic may have needed it. They were a step slow for almost all of Saturday night's second leg of a back-to-back, falling to the Memphis Grizzlies in a game that wasn't as close as its 124-111 final scoreline.

Indiana, however, comes into this contest on the second leg of its first home-away doubleheader. After Tyrese Haliburton hit a flailing three at the end of regulation to force overtime, the Philadelphia 76ers – powered by Tyrese Maxey's 45 points – defeated Indiana 118-114.

Meet the Pacers

Normally in this section, we'd take a glance at the key returnees, additions and departures on a roster due to the amount of roster turnover that's becoming common of the NBA. But Indiana is an increasingly rare case of a team that returns nearly all of its contributors from last season.

Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner, TJ McConnell and so on – they were all a part of the Pacers' improbable Eastern Conference Finals run from the East's sixth seed. Bennedict Mathurin is back from season-ending surgery last year as a bench option with microwave scoring capabilities. Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard and others are back as well.

The Pacers didn't have a high draft pick to utilize in this past summer's process, but they did sign center James Wiseman as a depth big, hoping to revive his career. But with Wiseman already having torn his left Achilles tendon, the former No. 2 overall pick's season is all but over.

Sharpshooting wing Doug McDermott signed with Sacramento days before the NBA season tipped off, and center Jalen Smith – a former top-10 draft pick in the same class as Wiseman – signed with Chicago on this summer.

About the Pacers

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) talks with guard Bennedict Mathurin (00) during the second half of the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

After the aforementioned two playoff series victories last year, resigning Pascal Siakam gave the Pacers the runway to get a full-year look at the team that defeated Milwaukee and New York in consecutive series this past April and May.

So far, the waters have been choppy for Indiana thus far. The high-octane offense that paved the Pacers' path to success last season isn't yet clicking. Of teams who have played three games like they have, only Toronto has scored less points per game, and they're 25th in offensive rating among all teams (26th in overall net rating).

The run-and-gun pace that Indiana utilized is noticeably absent, and the Pacers are last in three-point percentage. They've been woeful on the glass, too, ranking 29th in rebounds a game. It's a small sample size, but this isn't the team of last year – not yet, at least.

Now, Tyrese Haliburton has struggled early, and as the Pacers' offensive initiator, the former All-NBA guard not succeeding in doing that is hurtful to Indiana's chances. But he's capable of turning it on at a moment's notice, and has a more than capable supporting cast around him.

Orlando's advantage should come in its energy and its defense, given they'll have had the day of rest while Indiana played 53 minutes of ball Sunday. The Magic beat Indiana two out of three times last year, and in turn, had the tiebreaker advantage over the Pacers when they finished the season with the same record for playoff seeding.

The Magic must restore themselves to play back at their self-imposed standard.

Related Stories on the Orlando Magic

• MAGIC-PACERS TV INFO: The Orlando Magic welcome the Indiana Pacers to the Kia Center for to begin the first full week of the NBA regular season. Here's the TV info for the game, plus plenty of other information pertaining to the contest. CLICK HERE
• MAGIC-PACERS INJURY REPORT: Jonathan Isaac and Tristan da Silva appear on Orlando's injury report for Monday's matchup with the Indiana Pacers. CLICK HERE
• MAGIC'S MATURITY CAUSES TEAM TO LOOK IN MIRROR: The Orlando Magic are mature enough to realize when they don't meet expectations, as in Saturday night's loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. The learning curve continues Monday night. CLICK HERE
• HUFF TORCHES FORMER TEAM: Orlando Magic Summer League center Jay Huff had a career night Saturday... against his former team. The Memphis big scored 18 points off the bench and helped the Grizzlies thump Orlando. CLICK HERE
• MAGIC-GRIZZLIES RECAP: Despite going on a 21-point run in the third quarter, the Orlando Magic had no answer for the Memphis Grizzlies Saturday night, falling 124-111. CLICK HERE
• ISAAC 'PROGRESSING' WITH HIP INJURY: Despite missing his second consecutive game on Saturday night with a left hip contusion, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said the 6-10 forward is 'progressing.' CLICK HERE
• MAGIC'S 2024-25 SCHEDULE: See the complete slate for the Orlando Magic in 2024-25 and all the details – dates, locations, TV, tip times and more – that you need to know. CLICK HERE

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