Pacers visit slumping Magic

The Pacers lead the second-place Detroit Pistons by seven games in the Central.

This will be the fourth and final meeting of the season between the two squads. The teams split a pair of games at Conseco Fieldhouse, while the Pacers beat the Magic, 89-78, on Nov. 24 at Orlando.

Indiana comes into tonight’s game on a two-game winning streak. On Wednesday, Ron Artest had 20 points and eight rebounds to lead the Pacers to a 103-99 win over the Dallas Mavericks at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Al Harrington scored 17 points and grabbed eight boards in the win for the Pacers, who played without All-Star forward Jermaine O’Neal, who is sidelined with a knee injury. O’Neal is also expected to miss tonight’s contest.

The Pacers are 14-5 in Friday games this season. Indiana is an impressive 24-12 on the road.

Orlando fell to the Miami Heat, 105-90, on Wednesday at TD Waterhouse Centre. Drew Gooden paced Orlando with 23 points and seven rebounds. Tracy McGrady netted 18 points for the Magic, who have lost six straight and eight of their last nine games.

McGrady had missed the previous two contests because of personal reasons. The All-Star was attending the funeral of his great grandmother.

Gooden has scored in double digits in three straight games. He has averaged 18 points and 6.3 rebounds in his last three contests.

The Magic are a brutal 10-25 at home this season.

The home team has won 10 of the last 15 meetings in this series. Indiana has won four of six and seven of the last 10 contests. The Pacers have won two straight and three of their last four at Orlando.