ORLANDO – Whatever the Orlando Magic are doing in the locker room at halftime – taking showers, getting manicures, playing cards – they might want to rethink their routine.
It has been a disaster.
They just might be taking naps behind those closed doors during intermission because they slept through the third quarter once again Wednesday night.
The Indiana Pacers embarrassed the Magic, 97-74, in Orlando, taking a 2-1 lead in this best-of-7 Eastern Conference playoff series, riding another third-quarter surge to take back the home-court advantage.
The Magic have scored 13, 13 and 17 points, respectively, in each of the three third quarters of this series, fortunate enough only in that first-game upset to overcome such a dreadful return from the locker room.
"It (the third period) has just killed us in the series," center Glen Davis said. "It's about energy. We just can't keep coming out like that, and trying to play from behind."
The Pacers have outscored the Magic 81-43 in the three third quarters combined, a margin that has defined the series as much as anything. The Pacers, in the third period, have looked like a team eager to take control. The Magic, in the third, have looked like a team that has had enough.
"It's been the same story," coach Stan Van Gundy lamented. "We can't be playing out of a hole all the time. We were awful. I don't think anyone on our team played well. It was a very, very tough day."
The Magic never led, and never came close to leading after intermission when they opened with a pair of turnovers and three missed shots. The offense was out of sync and the defense was lethargic, an effort that drew boos from the normally supportive crowd.
Although the Magic have struggled defensively since Dwight Howard left late in the regular season with the herniated disk, their offense had actually improved – until the playoffs started.
The Magic have scored 81, 78 and 74 points, respectively, against the Pacers. The 3-point shooting that has carried them the past several seasons has failed them badly in this series.
The Magic, who averaged a league-high 10.1 3-pointers made per game, managed to hit just five 3-pointers Wednesday. They looked like a team without any offensive direction, searching for some kind of identity now. They looked like the team they were expected to be without Howard – mediocre at best – with little chance of upsetting the higher seed.
"They've been playing harder than us at some times (third period) in the game. Their energy was consistent," Davis said. "We don't want to lose. We're still in the fight. We're down one and the next game is at home. We still have hope, but we have to play with more energy throughout the game."
The Magic starting lineup managed a combined 12 rebounds, coming out slow in both the first and third quarters Wednesday. The Pacers clearly were the aggressors with an 18-0 advantage in fast-break points. They also held a 46-33 rebound edge.
Davis provided the Magic's only bright spot, but he couldn't sustain it very long, either. He had 22 points, including 16 in the second period when he pulled the Magic within two. He was prancing up the court in the second, celebrating one of the baskets, but he was like everyone else in the third, struggling to find his way.
The Pacers, meanwhile, looked energized again after intermission.
"It seems like in the first half, we really get a chance to see everything that's going on, and when we come back to the locker room, Coach prepares us again," said Indiana guard Paul George, who had 12 points. "When we see it on film (at halftime), it's a real eye opener. We just go out there and bust the game open."
The Magic's biggest disappointment in the series has been the play of power forward Ryan Anderson, who led the NBA in both 3-pointers made and 3-pointers attempted this season. The Magic had promoted him for the NBA's Most Improved Player after he averaged 16.1 points and 7.7 rebounds.
In this series, he has been the NBA's Most Disappointing Playoff Performer. He had seven points and one rebound, making just one 3-pointer. He had five points and six rebounds in Game 1.
Without Howard in the middle to worry about, the Pacers have focused on slowly down Anderson, crowding him on the perimeter and leaving him no room to operate against veteran David West.
"I'm not going to lie. It's been frustrating," Anderson said. "I just need to be more aggressive. Obviously, we can bounce back and play harder the next game. We've proven we can beat this team. We just have to sustain it throughout the game."
