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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Home suddenly got a lot sweeter for the
Indiana Pacers. So did the play of second-year forward Jonathan
Bender.
|  | | The Pacers' Reggie Miller drives to the basket between Orlando's Troy Hudson, right, and Charles Outlaw. |
"I took a different approach," said Bender, who had career
highs of 20 points and four blocked shots in the Pacers' 103-93
victory over Orlando on Monday.
"I wanted to go to the board strong, play defense and get a
couple of blocks. If I do that, the offense will come," said
Bender, who came in with a 3.0 average for the season. "I felt
relaxed a lot. I felt like I was playing on a playground."
Jalen Rose scored 31 points and Reggie Miller added 22 as the
Pacers snapped a record three-game losing streak in their
2-year-old Conseco Fieldhouse.
Tracy McGrady, who was guarded by Bender, had a career-high 43
points for the Magic, but he had little support. Indiana took
control in the third quarter, built its lead to 15 points and held
off a late rally with two free throws apiece by Rose and Travis
Best in the closing seconds.
"Jonathon played great for us. He gave us some really good
minutes," Miller said. "Even though Tracy had 43, he did a good
job of really contesting a lot of shots. He got into the game
really quickly, and that helped us out."
The Pacers, who lost only five games at home all of last season,
had lost six times this season and fell behind Orlando by nine
points early in the second quarter.
But Bender, starting for the second straight game, had 10 points
in the third quarter as the Pacers opened an 83-68 lead. Indiana
still led 87-76 going into the fourth quarter, then 3-pointers by
Mike Miller and Darrell Armstrong cut the lead to 88-84 with nine
minutes to go.
Indiana built the lead to 10 again, but two free throws apiece
by McGrady and Armstrong pulled the Magic within 99-93 before the
clinching free throws by Rose and Best.
Pacers coach Isiah Thomas gave the game ball to Bender.
"He was the difference in the game today, I thought," Thomas
said. "It's just a matter of opportunities, it's a matter of
learning the tricks, it's a matter of learning the ropes. I know
how difficult it is to score 10 points in this league. To score 20
points in 24 minutes is really something."
Armstrong backed McGrady with 13 points.
Bender matched his previous season high with nine points in the
first quarter as Indiana took a 24-23 lead. But the Pacers missed
their first five shots of the second period, and 3-pointers by Mike
Miller and McGrady helped Orlando to a 33-24 lead, its biggest of
the game.
The Magic still led 48-42 with two minutes to go but managed
only two free throws by McGrady -- and three turnovers -- the rest of
the half.
"It's a difficult game to win when you basically have one guy
doing all the shooting and all the scoring," Magic coach Doc
Rivers said. "Tracy played terrific, obviously. ... I think he
sensed that some of the guys weren't making the shots and started
forcing it.
"I thought the guys played extremely hard, but they just didn't
play extremely well."
Reggie Miller hit a free throw after McGrady received a
technical foul for taunting, and Rose scored three baskets in the
next minute as the Pacers regained the lead for good at 51-50.
Orlando worked for a final shot, but Best stole the ball and set up
Reggie Miller for a last-second 3-pointer to put Indiana up 54-50
at the half.
Game notes
Before the game, the Pacers put center Bruno Sundov on the
injured list with a strained right groin and activated guard Tyus
Edney, who did not play. ... Indiana (13-16) avoided going five
games under .500 for the first time in seven years. ... The loss
snapped a three-game winning streak for the Magic (12-15). ... John
Amaechi, who led Orlando with 26 points in a victory over Cleveland
on Saturday, had just eight points. ... Orlando has used 10
different starting lineups this season; the Pacers have used eight.
... Bender, a 53-percent free-throw shooter this season, was
8-for-9.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Orlando Clubhouse
Indiana Clubhouse
RECAPS
Indiana 103
Orlando 93
Portland 109
LA Lakers 104
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Pacers coach Isiah Thomas said he will continue to tinker with the lineup.
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FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Reggie Miller Official Site
Tracy McGrady Official Site
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