Pacers overpowered and outrebounded by Magic in 94-90 loss

Facing the Magic for the third time in eight games, the Pacers (5-6) were held to 38.1% shooting and 90 points in a narrow loss. Pascal Siakam scored 25 and Bennedict Mathurin added 23.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Watch my recap of the Indiana Pacers' loss to the Orlando Magic Wednesday night at the Kia Center 94-90.

The loss drops the Pacers to below .500 (5-6). They don't match up well to the Magic, who they faced for the third time in eight games. The Magic have more size and length, and they play with more physicality. Plus, they're the second-best defense through the first few weeks of the season.

Pascal Siakam paced the team with 25 points, but he only got one shot in the fourth quarter -- and he made it. Bennedict Mathurin (23 points, 12 rebounds) recorded his third double-double of the season. But rebounding was costly for the Pacers, -10. The Magic swatted 10 shots.

"Our recognition was poor a lot of the night,” head coach Rick Carlisle said postgame. “We drove into crowds and drove into shot-blockers and 10 block shots — they don't even count as turnovers. So really, the turnover numbers (17) are probably a little skewed, but that was an area where we needed to do a lot better.

“Defensively, it's one of our best defensive games we've had in recent years, but we were unable to rebound the ball."

They were held to 38.1% shooting and were outscored from beyond the arc (-9). Being undermanned as they are, they need more than nine points from Tyrese Haliburton in almost 40 minutes of action.

The Magic outscored the Pacers 17-4 to begin the 4th quarter, including a 10-0 start. They got to within a possession late, but Franz Wagner (29) and Jonathan Isaac (8) came up big. So did ex-Pacer Goga Bitadze, who finished with 12 & 12.

Also, rookie Johnny Furphy left with a game ball after he scored his first NBA points. It came on a steal and breakaway dunk. He finished with seven points off the bench.

“You can see why we're excited about him in the future, and really right now too,” Carlisle added. “That's a pretty high-culture game. He went in there and played well."

Next up, the Pacers host the Miami Heat on Friday.