Orlando Puts Pacers On Fold Young Magic Answer The Call, Reach Finals

Shaq vs. The Dream. Penny vs. Clyde. Defending Champs vs. Next Dynasty. It will all come your way Wednesday because the Orlando Magic passed the most crucial test of their young lives Sunday night.

Passed it with flying 3s. Passed it with Shaquille O’Neal dominating. Passed it by rendering the fourth quarter absolutely meaningless. Passed it with ridiculous ease.

In their first Game 7, the Magic played like seasoned playoff vets and used a magnificent third quarter to blast the Indiana Pacers, 105-81, and win the Eastern Conference finals before a boisterous crowd at Orlando Arena.

“We knew that this was a real big game for us, and when it comes time to play big games, we always play well,” O’Neal said. “We proved that again tonight.”

Horace Grant offered his theory. “We’re so talented, it overrode the experience factor,” said the Magic forward, a three-title winner with the Chicago Bulls acquired by the Magic for his veteran leadership. “Whenever you go out, and you play hard, you play aggressive, and you’re determined to win a ballgame, you are going to win.”

When Hakeem Olajuwon comes to the Magic’s kingdom, the defending champs will be favorites, even though the Magic have the homecourt edge. They host Game 1 Wednesday in their first Finals and sixth year.

“We’ve got Houston now and they’re even more battled-tested than Indiana,” an ecstatic Orlando president Pat Williams said. “Hakeem Olajuwon has been through 10 years of this and has been to the Finals a number of times. He’s been through every situation in the playoffs and we haven’t. So if we are successful and we do go all the way, I don’t think there’s ever been a team that’s gotten that far almost immediately.”

Portland won it all in its seventh season. That year, 1976-77, the Trail Blazers also had no playoff wins before shocking the basketball world with a six-game win in the Finals over the heavily favored Philadelphia 76ers. So don’t put it past the Magic to win. They weren’t supposed to get this far. But they’ve knocked out Michael Jordan and Reggie Miller in the playoffs. And Sunday night, they laughed in the face of all the pressure of Game 7 and held the Pacers to 36 points and only 10 baskets (in 38 tries) after halftime.

In the third quarter, when it was still anyone’s game, the Magic raised its level of play to championship heights. Orlando went for 38 points - its best quarter of the series - to take a 80-63 lead into the fourth. In those critical 12 minutes, the Magic outscored the Pacers by 20.

The key run was a 13-1 job that extended a 60-54 lead to 73-55 with 5:00 to go in the quarter. Dennis Scott and Nick Anderson hit 3-pointers in the surge, while Grant added five on a three-point play and layup. The Magic rained 3s on the Pacers in the fourth, hitting three to take a 90-68 lead with 6:40 left.

When it was over, the Magic players hoisted coach Brian Hill on their shoulders. Which is what Reggie Miller failed to do to his team. After putting the Pacers on his back Friday night in a 27-point romp, Miller pulled his usual follow-up performance after a monster game. He retreated into the shadows and failed to put his signature on this game, finishing with only five points after halftime and only 12 points total on 5-of-13 shooting.

“I feel bad for the guys, because I didn’t play well,” Miller said. “This is definitely Reggie Miller’s blowing it for them.”

And on this night, the Pacers needed a monster game from Miller just to keep up but saw him take just seven shots in the first half. Their leading scorer for most of the game was Dale Davis - so you know how bad it got. They made only 37 percent from the floor.

The Magic shot nearly 60 percent for most of the night, bombed in 13 of 27 3-pointers and had a lethal inside-outside attack going all night.

Scott hit 5 of 7 from 3-point range. Anderson and Penny Hardaway each nailed two. When it wasn’t pouring outside, the Magic went in to O’Neal for 25 - with 17 coming in the first half.

The defeat has to be particularly maddening for the Pacers. After finally getting past the Knicks in the conference semifinals, they thought this would be their year.

“I really believe Orlando is the best team in our conference,” Pacers coach Larry Brown said.

Magic 105, Pacers 81 INDIANA (81)

McKey 1-5 1-2 3, D.Davis 5-9 5-9 15, Smits 5-11 0-0 10, Jackson 4-10 1-2 11, Miller 5-13 0-0 12, Ferrell 0-3 5-6 5, A.Davis 2-6 2-4 6, Workman 2-5 4-4 8, B.Scott 1-7 4-4 6, Kite 0-0 0-0 0, Mitchell 2-4 1-2 5. Totals 27-73 23-33 81.

ORLANDO (105)

Grant 7-9 2-3 16, Scott 7-11 0-0 19, O’Neal 11-15 3-11 25, Hardaway 7-9 1-2 17, Anderson 4-10 2-4 12, Turner 2-7 0-0 6, Shaw 2-6 1-2 6, Bowie 0-3 0-0 0, Thompson 1-1 1-2 4, Avent 0-1 0-0 0, Royal 0-0 0-0 0.Totals 41-72 10-24 105.

Indiana 24 21 18 18 - 81

Orlando 27 25 28 25 - 105

3-Point goals-Indiana 4-19 (Jackson 2-5, Miller 2-7, McKey 0-1, Ferrell 0-1, Workman 0-2, B.Scott 0-3), Orlando 13-27 (D.Scott 5-7, Hardaway 2-3, Anderson 2-6, Turner 2-6, Thompson 1-1, Shaw 1-2, Bowie 0-1, Avent 0-1). Fouled out- None. Rebounds-Indiana 52 (D.Davis 14), Orlando 49 (O’Neal 11). Assists-Indiana 14 (Jackson 5), Orlando 26 (Anderson 7). Total fouls-Indiana 23, Orlando 28. A-16,010 (16,010).

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: NBA FINALS Orlando Magic vs. Houston Rockets Wednesday: At Orlando, 6 p.m. Friday: At Orlando 6 p.m. June 11: At Houston, 4:30 p.m. June 14: At Houston, 6 p.m. June 16: At Houston, 6 p.m.* June 18: At Orlando, 4:30 p.m.* June 21: At Orlando, 6 p.m.* *-If necessary