Bennedict Mathurin and Tyrese Haliburton will look to build on their best performances of the season when the Indiana Pacers visit the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night.
Mathurin posted career-highs in points (38) and three-pointers (seven), while Haliburton added a season-best 35 points and 14 assists in Indiana’s 132-121 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday. The duo combined for a remarkable 66.7 percent shooting from the floor (24 of 36).
The win marked the Pacers’ third in their last four games. Wednesday’s game will be the third meeting between Indiana and Orlando this season. Haliburton had 19 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds in Indiana’s 119-115 loss to the Magic in Orlando on October 28. He followed that with 17 points in a 118-111 victory over the Magic in Indianapolis last Wednesday.
Mathurin struggled in the first meeting with just five points in 14 minutes but bounced back with 20 points and 11 rebounds in the rematch.
Indiana will need strong performances from Mathurin and Haliburton due to their injury troubles. Aaron Nesmith is out until at least December with a sprained ankle, and Andrew Nembhard will miss two weeks with a sprained knee. Additionally, centers James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson are sidelined for the season with Achilles injuries, putting the Pacers in a challenging position early in the season.
The Magic, meanwhile, have remained unbeaten at home (5-0) with a 114-89 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday in the opening round of Group A play in the NBA Cup. This victory followed a winless five-game road trip, and Orlando has now won the first three games of its five-game homestand.
Franz Wagner led Orlando with a season-high 32 points, along with eight rebounds and five assists, before sitting out the entire fourth quarter. Wagner has scored at least 20 points in five consecutive games, including 28 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in last Wednesday’s game against the Pacers in Indianapolis.
