Former Pacers Center Heavily Shades Indiana Following Upset Win

He earned a revenge win over the Pacers.

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Orlando Magic's win over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday moved the Magic to 7-6 on the season and third place in the Eastern Conference, but the win was extra sweet for Goga Bitadze because he defeated his former team.

The Pacers drafted Bitadze No. 18 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft and spent three and a half seasons with Indiana before he was waived by the team in the middle of the 2022-23 season. Bitadze was primarily a role player during his time with the Pacers. He had his most productive season with the team in 2021-22, when he appeared in 50 games and averaged 7.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. That season he started 16 games, the most starts he saw during his time as a Pacer.

Bitadze did not improve upon this performance the following season though. Through the first half of the 2022-23 season, Bitadze averaged just 3.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game. He averaged less than 10 minutes of action per game and played in only 21 games that season before he was waived. Four days later, Bitadze signed with the Magic, where he has played since.

“I prayed about this day that I would get a chance to play with these guys and beat my old team," Bitadze said, via Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. "Beating Indiana always feels great. I’m telling you, I was praying about this. It comes on God’s timing. Three and a half years basically. It came true, I don’t know how many times.” 

“I prayed about this day that I would get a chance to play with these guys and beat my old team,” #Magic’s Goga Bitadze said after recording a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double in a win vs. the Pacers, who drafted him in 2019. “Beating Indiana always feels great.”

Full remarks: pic.twitter.com/wmA5ppo7Sg

— Jason Beede (@therealBeede) November 14, 2024

Bitadze recorded a double-double with 12 points, 12 rebounds, and one assist against the Pacers on Wednesday. Bitadze finished as the team's second-highest scorer behind Franz Wagner in the game, helping the Magic get the 94-90 win over Indiana.

The Magic and Pacers have faced off on two other occasions this season. The Magic previously defeated the Pacers on Aug. 28, but Bitadze was not playing in that game. The second time the two teams played this season, the Pacers defeated the Magic as Bitadze scored 10 points with 12 rebounds and two assists.

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