Indiana Pacers' Jalen Smith: Orlando Magic 'Got Better'
ORLANDO - Last season, it took the Orlando Magic 25 games to reach five wins, and that abysmal start largely doomed them before the season even got rolling.
This season, it only took the Magic nine games to reach that win total, and now Orlando currently sits at 8-5 after a 128-116 win over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Paolo Banchero and Cole Anthony combined for 39 points against the Indiana Pacers.
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The Magic's strong start to the season has impressed Pacers center Jalen Smith.
"They just got better over the offseason," Smith said. "They focused a lot on what they didn't do well [last] year. Jonathan Isaac, he mucked up the game a lot for us. He got a lot of deflections and a lot of tipped balls."
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle also heaped praise on the Magic and their head coach, Jamahl Mosley. Mosley was Carlisle's assistant coach from 2014-21 with the Dallas Mavericks.
Carlisle was the Mavericks' head coach from 2008-21.
"None of this surprises me at all," Carlisle said. "And I'm really just so happy for his success. I wish I was his agent because his contract is going to be coming up soon. I saw him working with [the] USA Basketball Select Team. He was coaching the team that kicked the main team's a** the first day I was there for that. He's a high-impact coach. This is nothing I didn't expect."
The Magic's defense put together an impressive defensive performance, holding the best offense in the NBA to just 44 points in the first half. Orlando also exploded offensively, scoring 78 points in the first half, its most so far this season.
Orlando will look to extend its win streak to four tonight when it hosts the Toronto Raptors (6-7) at the Amway Center in its third In-Season Tournament game and first at home.
