|
|
 
An excellent way to start the week betting on sports!
Every Monday and Friday, all our NBA lines will be at Half Price. |
| |
Harrington carries Pacers past Magic
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Indiana fans finally saw what they've been expecting from Al Harrington.
Sure, they remembered his six-year stay with the Pacers, but they were waiting for even more after he matured in two seasons in Atlanta. The Pacers picked him up him this summer after much haggling, but he averaged just nine points in his first two home games.
He made the wait worthwhile by tying a season high with 32 points in a 93-83 victory over the Orlando Magic on Friday night. Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said it was important for the fans to reconnect with Harrington.
"It is great for him to have an opportunity to have a game like this so that he can feel the love," Carlisle said. "We couldn't have won without him tonight."
Harrington viewed it as just another game and saw the win as more important than his statistics.
"If we put a product out there where we're successful and winning, we're going to win our fans back and get them back in here," he said. "That's my goal through my play. I just want to help bring that excitement back to Indianapolis."
Danny Granger scored 18 points for the Pacers and Jermaine O'Neal added nine points and 11 rebounds after sitting out Wednesday against Washington with a sore left ankle.
Jameer Nelson scored 19 points and Grant Hill added 17 for the Magic.
Dwight Howard had 17 points and 14 rebounds for Orlando. O'Neal was impressed with the young centre's development.
"If he ever really ever defines his offensive game, he's going to be a monster for years to come," O'Neal said. "He's not even 21 yet, so it is going to be scary to see him when he's 22, 23 years old .. I'm a fan of his. I like what he's doing."
Indiana made 27 of 32 free throws, while Orlando was 16-of-28. Orlando entered the game leading the league with a .514 field-goal percentage and had four players in the league's top 13, but the Pacers held the Magic to 44 per cent shooting.
Harrington shot 13-for-23 from the field while the rest of the Pacers shot 18-for-56. Indiana (4-2) bounced back from a 117-91 loss at Washington on Wednesday.
Orlando (3-3) led 57-52 early in the third quarter before Harrington's alley-oop dunk on a pass from Stephen Jackson cut Orlando's lead to 57-56. Jamaal Tinsley followed that with a three-pointer that gave the Pacers a brief 59-57 lead.
The Pacers closed the third quarter on an 11-2 run - Harrington scored eight points - to take a 70-63 lead into the fourth. Nelson's 10-point third quarter kept the Magic within range.
Harrington scored eight points in the fourth quarter to help keep the Magic at bay.
Hedo Turkoglu scored 10 points in the first quarter as Orlando took a 32-27 lead at the end of the period. Harrington scored 12 points in the quarter to keep the Pacers close. Orlando shot 67 per cent from the field in the opening quarter but missed five of 11 free-throw attempts.
Indiana took a 41-39 lead on a basket by Jeff Foster with 6:39 left in the second quarter, but Hill scored eight straight points to give Orlando a 47-41 lead and force an Indiana timeout. Orlando held on to take a 50-47 halftime lead.
Orlando was disappointed in its second-half effort. The Magic had 12 of their 21 turnovers after the break.
"It seemed like the Pacers were the team that was valuing the ball more and creating turnovers on defence," Hill said. "That allowed them to get out in transition, get some easy baskets, and that's the story of the game."
Notes: Jasper, Ind. native Scott Rolen of the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals attended the game and sat courtside. .. J.J. Redick, Orlando's first-round pick, hasn't played this season. .. Indiana G Darrell Armstrong played the first nine years of his 13-year career with the Magic. .. O'Neal entered the game tied for the league lead with 3.75 blocks per game but finished with one.
|
|
|
