Field Level Media
Jan 31, 2019
Terrence Ross scored a season-high 30 points to help the host Orlando Magic snap a four-game losing streak with a 107-100 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night.
It was the most the most points Ross has scored since he dropped 51 with the Toronto Raptors back in 2014. Nikola Vucevic added 17 points and 10 rebounds after finding out he was selected an All-Star reserve before the game.
The Magic had lost seven of their past eight coming into Thursday, but they are still only four games out of eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
Myles Turner led the Pacers with 27 points and grabbed seven rebounds, and Bojan Bogdanovic added 21 points.
Indiana has lost four straight since losing leading scorer Victor Oladipo to a season-ending quadriceps tendon injury. To make matters worse, Oladipo's backup, Tyreke Evans, has missed the last three games due to lower back soreness.
Vucevic broke the tie with 5:08 to play, and D.J. Augustin rattled off five straight points to put the Magic ahead 96-89 with 3:18 left.
A basket by Darren Collison brought the Pacers to within 96-94 with 2:21 left, but Ross hit an 18-foot jumper. Collison committed a foul while Augustin attempted a 3-pointer, and Augustin hit all three free throws to extend the lead to 101-94 with 1:26 left.
The Magic jumped out to an early 11-0 lead, and they were on top until Collison scored to put the Pacers ahead 54-53 with 9:56 left in the third quarter. Indiana led 73-69 at the end of the third quarter.
Orlando had a 13-point lead with about six minutes left in the second quarter, but Indiana cut the deficit to 51-48 by halftime.
Ross got hot to start the second quarter, hitting four 3-pointers in five minutes. The Magic took a 41-28 lead after Ross completed a four-point play with 5:47 left in the second quarter.
Indiana outscored the Magic 11-2 over the final three minutes of the half to get back into the game.
--Field Level Media