(My Sportsbook) - The
Orlando Magic will unveil a slightly new look when the Southeast Division leaders enter Conseco Fieldhouse tonight to battle the
Indiana Pacers.
Orlando had to alter its lineup and roster after All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson suffered a potentially season-ending torn labrum during the team's 105-95 home loss to Dallas on Monday. Veteran Anthony Johnson manned the point for the Magic in Wednesday's matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers, and the 12-year pro responded with a huge effort to spark Orlando to a 125-96 rout.
Johnson scored a season-best 25 points on 9-of-11 shooting and hit 6-of-8 attempts from three-point range. Rookie Courtney Lee also delivered a big game in Wednesday's win, pouring in a career-high 21 points and connecting on 9- of-10 shots from the field.
The Magic shot 56.6 percent as a team against the lowly Clippers and were a sizzling 16-of-26 from three-point range.
Despite Johnson's terrific performance, the Magic felt the need to add some depth at the point guard spot and acquired journeyman Tyronn Lue from Milwaukee on Thursday in exchange for reserve guard Keith Bogans. The 31-year- old Lue was averaging 4.7 points and 13.1 minutes per game with the Bucks.
Wednesday's win was the 11th in the last 14 outings for Orlando, which owns a comfortable nine-game lead atop the Southeast Division and is 1 1/2 games behind Boston for the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Magic will be facing an Indiana squad that has dropped three in a row and is a dismal 19-31 on the season after Thursday's 99-94 setback in Philadelphia. Mike Dunleavy scored 21 points in a losing cause, while Danny Granger and Jarrett Jack each netted 18 points for the Pacers.
Granger, the Pacers' leading scorer and a reserve for the Eastern Conference in the upcoming All-Star Game, made just 6-of-15 shots against Philadelphia and is dealing with a sore knee that could sideline him for tonight's game.
The Pacers had won seven straight games at Conseco Fieldhouse between January 3-30, but the club lost back-to-back home tests to New York and Minnesota prior to Thursday's defeat. Indiana is still a respectable 13-11 as the host this season.
Orlando has defeated the Pacers three times already this season and has five straight meetings in this series. The Magic came through with a 100-98 overtime decision in Indianapolis back on November 21.