Magic Stifle Pacers with 4th-Quarter Defense, Remain Perfect at Home

The Orlando Magic earned their gutsiest victory of the year, holding the potent Indiana Pacers offense to 90 points and running their Kia Center record to 6-0.

Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) passes the ball around Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) during the first quarter at Kia Center. / Mike Watters-Imagn Images

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Indiana Pacers were rested. The Orlando Magic were playing their third game in four nights. Under the circumstances, a fourth consecutive victory Wednesday night seemed a tall order.

But even when scoring is hard to come by, the Magic defense is a great leveler. And against one of the NBA's most potent offenses, a four-point deficit entering the fourth quarter is less a challenge than an opportunity.

The Magic outscored Indiana 26-18 in the final 12 minutes, holding the visitors to just 5-of-19 shooting from the field, forcing seven turnovers, and scoring 10 points off the extra possessions.

As Tyrese Haliburton's last-second three bounced away, Orlando's defense had secured a 94-90 victory.

Orlando improved to 7-6 and remains unbeaten at home. The Magic have held all four homestand opponents under 100 points — remarkable considering that the league average is 113 points a game.

"It wasn't a pretty one, but it's the way you have to try and get it done in this league," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. "These guys embraced it, could've easily given in, but we talk about how much grit this team has. You see how connected we are. They fought through the shooting lulls at times, the turnovers early, and they found a way."

Like an anaconda slowly squeezing its prey, the Magic defense can stifle opponents for stretches a time. That's the identity of this team, Mosley said. The Magic limited the Pacers — who scored 132 points Sunday against the Knicks — to two 18-point quarters on their way to the gutsiest result of the season.

"It's unreal," forward Jonathan Isaac said of the Magic's ability to turn up defensive pressure. "[The Pacers are] a high-scoring team. ... On a back-to-back, they've been resting for two days, to come out here and send that kind of message, it speaks volumes of our coaching staff, our team, guys taking on the challenge.

"To lock up and not let our energy waver ... I almost can't say enough about the resiliency, the energy, the mindset of these guys. With that, I feel like we can go as far as we want to."

Magic defenders were everywhere, Mosley said, wreaking havoc on an increasingly frustrated Pacers offense. When those emotions start to surface, not only are the Magic cognizant enough to notice it, but they're capable of harnessing it and creating an advantage off of it. That's a hallmark of winning teams: capitalizing on anything an opponent gives.

"I think we brought relentless pressure tonight," guard Anthony Black said, who played the entire fourth quarter and accounted for six points, three steals and a block in the final period. "Throughout the game, that breaks teams down."

When the Magic did need to score, they found their points in transition (14 on 13 opportunities) and from their bench, which outscored Indiana's reserves 32-17. The second unit's handprints – particularly Black and Isaac – were all over the Magic's final-quarter rally.

Franz Wagner scored 20-plus points for a sixth straight game, finishing with 29 to lead the Magic. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 10 and the big-man triumvirate of Goga Bitadze, Moe Wagner, and Isaac combined for 30 points, 25 rebounds, and five blocked shots.

Jalen Suggs had a night to forget as a shooter — 2-for-15 — but his point-of-attack defense made life miserable for two-time All-Star Haliburton (9 points on 3-of-14 shooting). With 9.1 seconds left, Suggs ensured the win with two perfect free throws.

For two teams that have high aspirations in the East's wide-open midpack, Orlando will hold a 2-1 season series lead until the second-to-last game of the regular season.

Up Next:

The Magic's homestand concludes Friday against the Philadelphia 76ers. Tipoff for the second game of East Group A NBA Cup play is set for 7 p.m. inside the Kia Center.

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