Desmond Bane, Magic bounce back to beat Pacers

Orlando struggled early, but found a rhythm that led to a win over Indiana.

Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane drives to the basket against Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The Orlando Magic are back on track after a 135-127 win against the Indiana Pacers in a Sunday matinee game inside the Kia Center.

The Magic struggled in the first quarter, but were quickly able to pick up the pace in the second, taking a lead into halftime.

In the second half, the Pacers attempted a comeback and got to within three points in the final seconds, but it was not enough for the team as the Magic staved off Indiana.

Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane brings the ball up court during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Magic offense on point vs. Pacers

The Magic were hitting on all cylinders with their top three scorers hitting the 27-point mark. Desmond Bane led the way with 31, while Paolo Banchero had 28 and Anthony Black dropped 27.

Banchero had a double-double with 12 rebounds, while Wendell Carter Jr. also had the 12 boards to go with his 18 points. Tristan da Silva added 10 while starting for the injured Jalen Suggs and rookie guard Jase Richardson flexed his muscles for 12 points.

The Pacers were led by Pascal Siakam, who scored a game-high 34 points on 14 of 21 shooting. Aaron Nesmith chipped in with 25 points as he knocked down five 3-pointers and Andrew Nembhard had a double-double with 20 points and 11 assists.

The Pacers also saw Micah Potter notch a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds while former Magic Summer League center Jay Huff and veteran point guard T.J. McConnell found themselves in double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

The win for the Magic continues a pattern which has lasted since the end of the NBA Cup. The Magic have traded wins and losses in each of their last 10 games, which makes it difficult to move up the standings. However, they are getting the wins in there, so that is a positive sign to look at moving forward.

Now, it's about stacking these wins. With a back-to-back on the road this week, it will be a challenge for the Magic to stay in the win column, but there are winnable games within reach and the team can make a move up the standings with some continued positive play.

The Magic are heading back out on the road to face off against the Washington Wizards. Tipoff is scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network, Monumental Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.