Magic look to finish season on winning note at IND
The Magic (36-45, 10-30 road) can be assured that IND (40-41, 26-14 home) will be going all-out to win the game tonight, as the Pacers need a win to clinch the 6th spot in the East. A Pacers loss, plus a CHI win (which is likely because they host TOR) would put the Pacers in the 8th spot in the East and a first-round match-up with powerful DET, who has eliminated IND from the playoffs the last two years. It should be a great test for the young Magic to end the season.
Jermaine O'Neal is back from injury, and leads IND averaging 20 ppg and 9.3 rebounds, though he has played in just 50 games. Peja Stojakovic, in 39 games since the IND trade with SAC, is averaging 19.5 ppg. Stephen Jackson is the only other Pacer in double figures (16.3 ppg). IND averages 94.0 ppg, while allowing 92.1 ppg. However, IND has averaged 103.6 ppg in winning 4 of their last 5 games using an up-tempo style not usually favored by Coach Rick Carlisle. Injuries and the acquisition of Stojakovic have forced Carlisle to use different strategy.
A win here by the Magic would be a great way to close out the season and to cap off their recent 16-4 run, which included wins over several top NBA teams. However, the Magic are 7 pt underdogs against the Pacers (www.pinnaclesports.com)
Jermaine O'Neal is back from injury, and leads IND averaging 20 ppg and 9.3 rebounds, though he has played in just 50 games. Peja Stojakovic, in 39 games since the IND trade with SAC, is averaging 19.5 ppg. Stephen Jackson is the only other Pacer in double figures (16.3 ppg). IND averages 94.0 ppg, while allowing 92.1 ppg. However, IND has averaged 103.6 ppg in winning 4 of their last 5 games using an up-tempo style not usually favored by Coach Rick Carlisle. Injuries and the acquisition of Stojakovic have forced Carlisle to use different strategy.
A win here by the Magic would be a great way to close out the season and to cap off their recent 16-4 run, which included wins over several top NBA teams. However, the Magic are 7 pt underdogs against the Pacers (www.pinnaclesports.com)
posted by Mike from Illinois @ 2:20 PM
1 Comments:
At 3:38 PM,
Big Figure said…
Protect the ball,this is the first time the pacers will be facing the new look magic,so we deffinitely can steal this game if we take care of the ball,both teams match-up perfectly,so if the magic can play the way they have been playing (even in the loss to the bulls),it should be to much for the pacers in their first go-around with the new look magic,i think the bulls had success b/c they played against this team once before and lost,and realized they had to up their defensive effort if they had any chance to beat this team,i dont think the pacers have the defensive perimeter that the bulls have (duhon,hinrich,gordan),so we should be able to outlast them if we play our game,imposing our size,will and depth,i wanna see a better defensive effort from the bigs and active hands tonight in the passing lanes by our guards,lets go magic,lets get this last one!
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