Notebook: Magic 85, Pacers 81

By Conrad B
Posted Saturday February 4, 2012 10:59PM

THE FACTS: If this was a foreshadowing of the other big game in Indianapolis this weekend, take the under. The Pacers and Magic combined for 41 turnovers, eight technical fouls and some really intense but sloppy basketball Saturday night in Bankers Life Fieldhouse with visiting Orlando emerging with an 85-81 victory that was more a matter of survival than success. Dwight Howard scored 27 to lead the Magic (15-9) to a third consecutive victory despite 25 turnovers. Danny Granger scored 19 for Indiana (16-7), which had a four-game win streak snapped.

QUOTABLE: "Both teams played really, really hard. When you have these kinds of schedules in the league you're going to have some games like that. It was our ninth game in 13 days and their ninth in 14. Basically nobody could make a shot and there were 41 turnovers in the game."
-- Orlando head coach Stan Van Gundy.

THE STAT: Indiana missed 18 of its final 20 shots, including 11 in a row after cutting the lead to 69-68 with 7:29 remaining.

TURNING POINT: Free throws by Paul George and Granger cut the Orlando lead to 80-77 with 36.6 seconds remaining. After Roy Hibbert blocked Howard's shot, the Pacers had a shot to tie but Granger missed a 3-pointer with 12 seconds remaining and the Magic closed it out at the line.

QUOTABLE II: "It was a really physical game tonight. Both teams played hard end to end. It was a good battle with a good team. "
-- Howard.

HOT: Howard enjoyed an unusually successful night at the free throw line, making 7 of 10.

NOT: Granger was 4-of-16, 2-of-9 from the arc. Collison had zero assists against Orlando for the second time in 12 days. Hedo Turkoglu was 2-of-11 and missed all six of his 3-point attempts. The Pacers shot 4-of-22 (.182) from the 3-point line and had just 12 assists. Indiana shot a season-low .341 overall.

QUOTABLE III: "This is a game where we made some mistakes and as I said before if we could play it over we would do things differently and maybe be a little stronger and a little tougher."
-- Indiana center Hibbert.

IN THE ARENA: With the Super Bowl in Indianapolis Sunday, the arena was brimming with celebrities including comic actor Adam Sandler, rapper 50 Cent, boxer Floyd Mayweather, members of the band O.A.R., pop singer Nikki Minaj, former NBA standout Gary Payton and former Pacer Rik Smits, Travis Best and Derrick McKey. Former Colts player Ben Utecht, now a full-time musician, sang the national anthem.

NOTABLE: Orlando had six technical fouls, two from Quentin Richardson who was ejected for shoving Granger with 1:17 remaining in the third quarter. ... Tyler Hansbrough finished with a season-high 17 points. ... George had another solid all-around game with 13 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocked shots. ... The Pacers fell to 4-7 when they do not shot at least .333 from the 3-point line. .. Orlando was without point guard Jameer Nelson (concussion-like symptoms) and backup big man Glen "Big Baby" Davis, serving the second of a two-game team suspension. ... Coach Van Gundy said he hopes Nelson can return Monday but does not expect him to be in condition to handle his usual minutes. ... The Pacers missed sixth man George Hill (chip fracture, left ankle) for the third game in a row. He is out indefinitely with no timetable for a return.

UP NEXT: For the Pacers, Tuesday vs. Utah, Wednesday at Atlanta, Friday at Memphis. For the Magic, Monday vs. L.A. Clippers, Wednesday vs. Miami, Friday vs. Atlanta.