Game Recap
T.J. Warren and the Indiana Pacers stayed hot on Tuesday.
Warren scored 32 points as the Pacers (42-26) rolled to a 120-109 win over the Orlando Magic (32-36), their third straight victory in the restart to the NBA season.
After scoring a career-best 53 points on Saturday and then tallying 34 points and 11 rebounds on Monday, Warren followed those performances up by hitting his first eight shots on Tuesday. He finished the second night of the back-to-back 13-for-17 from the field and 4-for-5 from 3-point range in just 29 minutes, topping the 30-point plateau for the third straight contest.
"I'm just really in rhythm, really picking my spot, really being efficient, and just playing hard overall," Warren said after another brilliant performance.
Myles Turner added 21 points and six rebounds while going 7-for-11 from the field and 4-for-5 from beyond the arc. Victor Oladipo chipped in 13 points, five boards, and two steals in the victory.
Turner and Malcolm Brogdon got the scoring started with a mid-range jumper and a layup, respectively, before Warren and Aaron Holiday each knocked down a 3-pointer as Indiana opened the game with 10 unanswered points. Warren, Holiday, and Oladipo then each hit treys to give the Blue & Gold a 19-3 lead less than five minutes into the contest.
The Magic started cold, opening the game 1-for-9 from the field. Warren, on the other hand, remained red hot. The 6-8 forward did not miss in the opening frame, adding three floaters, another three, and a pair of free throws on his way to 17 points in the first quarter.
"I think we all just want to kind of follow him around for a day and see what he's doing in the bubble," Pacers guard T.J. McConnell quipped after the game. "It's been remarkable what he's doing. We just keep giving him the ball."
As a team, Indiana went 7-for-12 from beyond the arc in the first quarter, led by as many as 23 points, and took a 43-22 lead into the second quarter.
"I just thought we did a good job establishing ourselves on both ends of the floor," Pacers head coach Nate McMillan said about Indiana's opening flurry. "Our defense was really solid, (we) rebounded and (were) able to get out in transition. Our ball movement was really good all night."
The Pacers extended their lead early in the second quarter. McConnell scored eight points during a 10-2 run that pushed the margin to 26.
Orlando answered with a 12-2 run of its own, but buoyed by a pair of 3-pointers from Turner, Indiana managed to push the lead back to 21 by halftime.
The Magic briefly avoided letting the game get out of hand at the start of the third quarter. Aaron Gordon scored five points as Orlando opened the second half with eight unanswered.
Orlando trailed 78-66 with 4:34 remaining in the frame, but Indiana reeled off a 10-2 run over a two-minute span to stave off the threat and took a 92-76 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Pacers kept the Magic at bay down the stretch, not allowing the margin to slip to within single digits until the final minute.
McConnell finished the night with 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting, four rebounds, and five assists. Brogdon added 12 points, four rebounds, and eight assists, while Holiday finished with 12 points, four boards, and four dimes.
Nikola Vucevic led Orlando with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Gordon added 20 points and seven boards and Terrence Ross scored 20.
The Pacers will be off Wednesday before returning to action on Thursday afternoon against Phoenix.
Inside the Numbers
The Pacers' 43 points in the first quarter were six more than their previous season high in the frame, a mark set on Jan. 2 against Denver.
Indiana shot 54.8 percent from the field in the victory.
The Blue & Gold committed just seven turnovers and forced Orlando into 18 giveaways, which they converted into 23 points.
Turner topped 20 points for the fifth time this season and the first time since he scored a season-high 27 in a win in Chicago on Jan. 10.
Stat of the Night
Warren has now scored 119 points over his last three games, tying Jermaine O'Neal (Jan. 4-8, 2005) for the most points in a three-game span in NBA franchise history.
You Can Quote Me On That
"The ball is finding him and he's knocking down a high percentage of his shots, just really efficient." -McMillan on Warren's hot streak
"When I was open, I let it fly. From that standpoint, it really put pressure on the defense and opens things up for our guards to attack. I've got to continue to be aggressive." -Turner on his 3-point shooting
"Me and D West, we talk every other day. We've talked over the past couple days. He's just encouraging me, giving me advice going into the playoffs." -Warren on his conversations with former Pacer and his mentor David West
Noteworthy
- With Tuesday's win, the Pacers swept the season series with the Magic. They also won in Orlando on Nov. 10 and at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Nov. 23.
- Oladipo returned to the lineup after sitting out the first half of the back-to-back on Monday to manage the load on his surgically repaired right knee. He did not play in the fourth quarter after nearing his minutes restriction by playing 27 minutes over the first three quarters.
- The Pacers will not have another back-to-back this season. They finish the year 3-6 on the first night of a back-to-back and 4-5 on the second night.
Up Next
The Pacers will face Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns on Thursday, Aug. 6 at 4:00 PM ET.