(INDIANAPOLIS, IN) – Indiana Pacers (10-6), outscore the Orlando Magic (5-13) 59 to 39 between the second and third quarters that result in their first blowout victory of the season. The 123-102 win extends the winning streak for Indiana to five for the first time since January of 2020 prior to COVID-19’s outbreak.
Through the first fifteen games of the season for the Pacers, slow starts in the first quarter were a constant theme. Tonight, that was not the case for the blue and gold as they jumped out to a 9-1 lead in the first three minutes of the game. As of late, turning the rock over has been an issue for Indiana. In the opening quarter they turned it over seven times. Mo Bamba led all scorers in the first period with eight points. Gary Harris and Bennedict Mathurin each had six points. Indiana would trail Orlando 28-27 after the first quarter.
The inability to take care of the basketball for the Pacers was a slight problem in the second quarter. Indiana turned it over five times, but they did not let Orlando take advantage of the turnovers by only allowing six points off them. Only five players for Indiana scored in the quarter, and they all scored five points or more. Oshae Brissett and Myles Turner each had six points. Tyrese Haliburton, T.J. McConnell, and Mathurin had five points. At intermission Indiana would possess a nine-point lead and be led in scoring by Mathurin with 11 points. Franz Wagner led all scorers with 14 points.
The third quarter was the quarter where the Indiana Pacers pulled away from the Orlando. The Pacers outscored the Magic by 10 in the quarter with Haliburton leading the charge. He scored nine points, dished out five assists, and corralled three rebounds. Defensively the team upped the intensity by holding Orlando to 1/8 (13%) from behind the arc and 37% from the field. The Magic only got to the free-throw line two times in the quarter. After three quarters, the Pacers would lead 86-67.
Prior to the fourth quarter, the Pacers lead never ballooned to more than 20 points, but that is where their lead would primarily sit in the quarter. The biggest lead for Indiana in the quarter was 25 points. Rick Carlisle would empty the bench for the first time on the season in a blowout win. Goga Bitadze’s appearance in the game is only the third time that he’s played this month. The leading scorer in the quarter was Oshae Brissett with a dozen points. T.J. McConnell scored six points and registered five assists to record his first double-double of the season. Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Jalen Smith were the only starters that did not play in the final quarter. Indiana would cruise to a 123-102 victory over Orlando.
TOP PERFORMERS: Bennedict Mathurin (22p, 5r), T.J. McConnell (19p, 10a, 3s), Tyrese Haliburton (18p, 14a), Oshae Brissett (18p, 4 three’s), Franz Wagner (20p, 6r), and Terrance Ross (18p). Click here to view tonight’s full box score.
NOTES: T.J. McConnell registered his 16th career double-double and first since 11/1/21 against the Spurs. Tyrese Haliburton’s double-double makes him the second player in the league to reach 10 double-doubles. Indiana is now 9-2 in their last eleven games.
NEXT UP: It’s game three of the four game homestand for the blue and gold and it’s the first of two games against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Tip-off is at 7pm from Gainbridge Fieldhouse with the Kroger Pregame Show with Pat Boylan starting at 6:30pm on 93.5/107.5 The Fan.
