Pacers vs. Magic: 3 Big Things to Watch
ORLANDO - Following its Monday night victory against the Boston Celtics, the Orlando Magic get another home test with the Indiana Pacers coming to town.
Indiana recently snapped a seven-game losing streak following a 116-110 win over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday.
Here are three things to watch in this Eastern Conference matchup...
Jonathan Isaac's Second Game Back
The Magic forward made his long-awaited return against the Celtics, playing just under ten minutes and making his impact known on both ends of the floor.
Head coach Jamahl Mosley stated that the coaching staff will continue judging Isaac's progress game-by-game to see how Isaac responds.
In the 25-year-old's first game in 904 days, Isaac recorded 10 points on 4 of 7 from the field in 9:36 minutes.
Anticipate the sixth-year forward to play in the 8-10 minute range as he continues ramping up his conditioning.
Mathurin vs. Banchero Showdown
The two front-runners for the Rookie of the Year award, Paolo Banchero and Bennedict Mathurin get an opportunity to faceoff against one another for the first time of their young careers.
And while Mathurin battled against the Magic earlier in the year, his rookie counterpart was dealing with a sprained ankle that held him out the back-to-back matchups in November.
The No. 6 pick in this year's draft, Mathurin has posted averages of 17.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 28 minutes in 49 games this year.
Finally Healthy Magic?
Dealing with injuries for the entirety of this season, Isaac's return marks the first time this Magic team has been a majority healthy in a long time.
Chuma Okeke, who has been out since Nov. 21, marks the only Orlando player on the injury report for Wednesday's matchup.
But with great power comes great responsibility.
And that responsibility is who gets playing time and who doesn't.
Monday's win saw rotation pieces Mo Bamba and guard Terrance Ross stay on the bench for all 48 minutes, which could continue tonight.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
You can follow Riley Sheppard on Twitter @RileyDSheppard.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Magic? Click Here.
Follow The Magic Insider on Facebook.
Follow The Magic Insider on Twitter.
Want even more Orlando Magic news? Check out the SI.com team page
