The Orlando Magic rallied from a 12-point deficit with just 3:36 left in the game but fell short against the Indiana Pacers, losing 128-126. Star player Paolo Banchero had a chance to tie the game at the buzzer, but Pascal Siakam’s defense thwarted his final shot. The Magic’s struggle was evident in the third quarter, where their defense collapsed, allowing the Pacers to score 44 points. Aaron Nesmith contributed 16 points in that period, and Andrew Nembhard added seven assists.
Losing to Indiana Pacers is a disappointing outcome for Orlando Magic
Going into Monday’s match, the Magic aimed to break a four-game losing streak against a Pacers team that had experienced a franchise-record 16-game losing streak. Unfortunately, this latest defeat pushed Orlando down to eighth place in the standings, barely holding on due to the Miami Heat also losing their fifth consecutive game.
The Magic allowed the Pacers to score 16 points above their usual average while the Pacers shot 55 percent from the field. Although Orlando was missing defensive standout Jalen Suggs, the overall defensive performance was still lacking.
The Pacers were solid in defending against Banchero during his final attempt, even though he felt he was fouled on the way to the basket.