By Preston Ellis

The Orlando Magic were supposed to expel their collective demons on Friday night at the tail end of an arduous six-game western road trip and climb back to .500 (12-14).

In front of the Amway Assemblage, the Magic faced their bully, the Indiana Pacers, and fell woefully short, 112-90, on a night set up to see their success. The Pacers represented more than an ascendant foe in the standings, the Pacers had taken eight straight from the Magic, and 15 of the past 16 meetings. The Magic have not defeated the Pacers in Orlando since February 9th, 2014, and yet the Pacers injury report sought to tip the scales. Sans Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, and with a fully-healthy squad of their own, the Magic held the distinct advantage and the motivation, having lost five of eight contests.

The Magic looked tired, having played three in four nights, and shooting was noticeably off, as the Magic connected on just 40% of their shots. The Magic trailed by as many as 14 in the second quarter, after receiving a brief scare as Vucevic twisted rolled his ankle having stepped on Myles Turner’s foot (Vucevic would return). The Magic would bring the game within four early in the third 63-59, before a 15-2 Pacers run would put an end to them once and for all.

“It is what it is man, you can’t complain about it,” Vucevic said. “Nobody is going to be like, they’ve played a lot of games – let’s go easy on them. We have everything that we need here to recover (and be ready to play).”

It was turnovers (16), and the Pacers’ defense forcing difficult shots while the Magic offered access to the lane at an alarming rate (54 points). Bogdanovic was especially damaging, pouring in 21 points in the first half alone, 26 overall on the night.

Now, losers of six of their past nine contests, the Magic face yet another scrappy opponent in the 13-11 Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks, led by Rookie of the Year candidate Luka Doncic, have won three of four, and Doncic’s 11 consecutive points stymied the Houston Rockets on Saturday night, toppling the squad, 107-104.

“I wasn’t playing great,” said Doncic, who finished 7 of 17 with all three of his 3-pointers in that final stretch and had seven rebounds. “My game wasn’t good at all. I get confident in the end of games. I would say that I feel comfortable.”

The Mavericks leveraged much this offseason to acquire Doncic, and he’s paid immediate dividends, to the tune of 18 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, all while shooting 38% from three-point range. Bogdanovic was especially damaging, scoring 26 points on 10/18 shooting.

Doncic’s presence has also alleviated pressure on his counterparts, who present a well-balanced attack from all five positions. Second-year lottery pick Dennis Smith Jr. is averaging 14 points per game, Wesley Matthews averages 16 on 40% shooting from three, DeAndre Jordan averages 11 and 14 rebounds, and Harrison Barnes leads the scoring with 18 points per game. JJ Barea has been a difference maker off the bench, averaging 14 points per game off the bench in December, including shooting marks of 47% and 37%.

Led by head coach Rick Carlisle, the Mavericks go ten players deep with rookie Jalen Brunson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Dwight Powell and Devin Harris. The Mavericks are dead in the middle in pace (15th), 14th in Offensive Rating and 13th in Defensive Rating.

Jordan helps to pace their rebound, where the Mavericks are best in the NBA at limiting their opponents’ opportunities, but the Mavericks can be attacked in transition (20th), having the 28th-worst turnover margin. The Mavericks are a top-ten three-point shooting team, averaging 13 makes per game.

The Orlando Magic are in a dangerous spot. The Magic face a ‘gimme’ on Thursday against the 6-21 Bulls (who lost by a franchise-worst 56 points Saturday night), but then face off against the Utah Jazz, and San Antonio Spurs. It’s far too soon to worry about must-win games, especially in the underwhelming eastern conference, but a victory against the Mavericks would do much to restore the Magic’s confidence, and with three nights’ rest, there will truly be no excuse for another disenchanting performance.

“We’ve just got to get our rest now,” Gordon told reporters. “It’s going to be a day or two before we play again. We’re going to have to practice, recover, and then come out and win this next one.”

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All quotes recorded by Aaron Goldstone of OrlandoPinstripedPost.com