• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Pacers drop skidding Magic

Jan 30, 2012 - 5:16 AM Orlando, FL (Sports Network) - Danny Granger scored 24 points as the Pacers breezed past the struggling Magic, 106-85, on Sunday.

David West and George Hill both added 16 points while Darren Collison finished with 11 and 10 assists for the Pacers, who were coming off Friday's loss in Boston.

The Magic, meanwhile, have lost three straight and five of seven. They were without starting point guard Jameer Nelson on Sunday. He was out with concussion-like symptoms, dealing another blow to a listless offense which managed just 34 second-half points. Dwight Howard had team-highs of 24 points and 13 rebounds in the loss.

"We have to muster up the courage and the fortitude to reach inside of ourselves and figure out how tough we are," said Magic reserve J.J. Redick.

Orlando registered a franchise-low 56 points in Monday's loss to the Celtics, squandered a 27-point lead in a rematch against the C's two nights later and shot just 39.3 percent in Friday's setback at New Orleans.

Nelson left in the second quarter on Friday after taking a hit to the jaw, necessitating the need for a Chris Duhon start against the Pacers. Duhon committed three of Orlando's 11 first-quarter turnovers, as Indiana jumped out to a 29-22 lead after one.

The Pacers then survived Orlando's lone charge, which came in the second quarter. Trailing by 15, the Magic reeled off a 20-4 run to grab a 49-48 lead. Duhon scored seven points during the burst while Hedo Turkoglu hit a trey and later found Howard for the go-ahead dunk. Duhon then drained a 22-footer to make it 51-48 at the break.

The Pacers, though, scored the first six points of the third quarter -- on buckets from Granger, Roy Hibbert and West -- to reclaim a lead which they would not relinquish.

They were up by 10, 65-55, on a West jumper with under seven minutes left in the third and took an 80-68 lead into the fourth.

Granger and West each scored six points during the final quarter, as the Pacers shot 58 percent from the field and built their advantage to 21 on a Hibbert free throw with four minutes left.

"I think we got their defense moving," said Granger. "With Howard being such a dominant defensive player, you've got to keep it moving."

Game Notes

The Pacers had lost six straight to the Magic...Hibbert had seven points and six rebounds...Howard notched his 16th double-double of the season...Duhon finished with 14 points, five assists and four turnovers.