A great comeback allowed the Indiana Pacers to force overtime and end the Orlando Magic’s options (122-114). The visitors outscored their rival with a 46-23 run between the fourth quarter and overtime. Malcolm Brogdon led the way with 31 points from him and Tyrese Haliburton was his team’s leading scorer in overtime.
The Pacers trailed by as much as 18 points in the third quarter before starting a fantastic comeback. The team led by Rick Carlisle was behind their rival for practically the entire match. The Magic built a quick lead thanks to strong performances from players like Franz Wagner, who finished the matchup with his second-highest scoring tally of the season: 28 points.
The Magic defense put pressure on the Pacers shooters very well all night. Those from Orlando forced their rival to make unusual mistakes and several unusual turnovers. Neither team was very confident in terms of ball control, but the Pacers were at a distinct disadvantage due to poor 3-point shooting.
However, in the last quarter the bugle call came on time for Indiana. A comeback in record time, led by Brogdon’s experience and Buddy Hield’s 3-pointers, gave the Pacers their first lead since the first minute of the game. The Magic, who were playing in front of their fans, would not give up and, despite the emotional blow, they managed to force overtime.
Surprisingly, Indiana’s defense would come into play in a positive way, forcing Orlando to commit six turnovers between the fourth quarter and overtime. She was joined by the contribution of Haliburton, who relaunched his team with three steals, scoring 12 of his 21 points in the last 17 minutes. The victory of the Pacers leaves them with a record of 22-42, still far from places of access to playoffs.
After the game, Pacers coaches and players were full of praise for Malcolm Brogdon. The point guard finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists, signing one of his best games this season. His coach, Rick Carlisle, did not want to miss the opportunity to congratulate him before the media: “He is the most complete player on our team,” he confessed.
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
