As resilient as the Indiana Pacers have been this season, clocking 12 wins when trailing by 10 or more points, it’s tough to continue having to make that push, especially on the back half of a back-to-back. Yet that’s the task the Pacers saddled themselves with once again, falling behind 11-0 out of the gate to the Orlando Magic and spending the rest of the night trying to climb out of that hole.
The inability to ever hold the lead tonight didn’t come for want of trying, but more had to do with a porous defensive effort, allowing the Magic to key in a response whenever the Pacers pushed the game to within striking distance.