Pacers (8-13) vs. Magic (17-6)
Time/TV: 7 p.m./Sun Sports
Key Matchup: Dahntay Jones (14.8 PPG) vs. Mickael Pietrus (10.1 PPG)
-In true Stan Van Gundy form, the coach said he has seen good things from the Magic so far this season but they have to be better to reach that championship level.
-Injury updates from Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. Vince Carter missed practice Sunday with a stomach virus (not the flu though) but is expected to play tonight. Jameer Nelson is also doing full-court drills on his own and could be back in practice this Sunday. And, this was news to me, Danny Granger is out for the Pacers after tearing his plantar fascia.
-Like Orlando, the Pacers receive a jolt from its bench rather than just maintenance. Luther Head, Jeff Foster, Mike Dunleavy, Tyler Hansbrough and Earl Watson have been a big part of some recent Pacers wins.
-I crunched some numbers this weekend and found some interesting numbers about the Magic after losses in the Stan Van Gundy era.
-Indy Cornrows is calling tonight’s game a heat check for the Pacers, who are on a two-game winning streak. It is a solid test for a young squad trying to break into the Eastern Conference’s playoff contenders.
-Tom Lewis of Indy Cornrows is ready to proclaim that Mike Dunleavy’s game is back after a nearly season-long injury last year because of the way he performed in back-to-back wins this weekend.
-Conrad Brunner of IndianaPacers.com reports on the expanding roles of Tyler Hansbrough and Mike Dunleavy after early season injuries.
-The Amway Center is starting to take shape to those traveling on I-4, but now the area beneath the I-4 bridge is getting ready for the beginning of its makeover as the city hopes people will choose to walk to the Amway Center when it opens.
